Two men have been charged after allegedly defacing an Israeli flag at a grocery store in Bloomingdale, Illinois, last month, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office announced, according to CBS News.
Tabshir Rizvi, 23, of Bloomingdale, and Mohammed Faroun, 22, of Hoffman Estates, were both charged with two counts of hate crime, a misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property, and disorderly conduct, the report said.
It is alleged that just before 11:30 p.m. on June 24, both men entered the Woodman's Food Market and grabbed a can of red spray paint before walking to the international food aisle. They then climbed the shelving unit under the Israeli flag and spray-painted "FREE GAZA" on the flag before leaving the store.
An investigation by the Bloomingdale police identified Rizvi and Faroun as suspects.
The office said Faroun turned himself in on Tuesday, while Rizvi turned himself in late Wednesday afternoon. Both men were released on personal recognizance.
Their next court appearance is scheduled for August 13 for arraignment, reported CBS News.
Incidents of antisemitism have been on the rise in the US since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Last month, anti-Israel activists protested outside the home of Illinois Congressman Brad Schneider shortly before 3:00 a.m., disturbing the sleep of the residents and several of his family members.
The Congressman's office stated that animal blood was found on the sidewalk outside the home following the protest.
Police said that about 40 people participated in the protest and that officers worked to disperse them after the first noise complaints were called in. The protest was dispersed after about a half hour.
In February, Chicago’s City Council narrowly passed a resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
After hours of debate, the measure came down to one single vote, that of Mayor Brandon Johnson's, which broke a 23-23 tie and lifted the measure to 24 yays and 23 nays.