A disturbing display of antisemitic vandalism struck the borough of Queens, where nearly a dozen swastikas were discovered in public parks on Sunday.
The New York Police Department’s 104th Precinct in Ridgewood responded to a bias incident near Highland Boulevard and Vermont Place, reported amNewYork.
Upon arrival, officers identified five swastikas spray-painted across signs, various objects, and the pavement at Highland Park and the Ridgewood Reservoir.
The discovery at Highland Park followed an earlier report from the 102nd Precinct in Richmond Hill. At approximately noon, police were called to the vicinity of 72nd Road and Union Turnpike, where they found six additional swastikas painted on the walls of an underpass situated near the Forest Park Playground.
The NYPD has launched an investigation into the incidents, though no arrests have been made at this time. These latest acts of bias come exactly one week after similar graffiti targeted two synagogues and two private residences within the borough.
Julie Menin, Speaker of the New York City Council, condemned the vandalism and shared images of the hate speech on social media. She emphasized that the city would not remain silent in the face of such intimidation.
"Highland Park and Forest Park in Queens were vandalized with at least 11 swastikas. Just a week ago today, similar antisemitic graffiti was found at two synagogues and two private homes in the borough. This is yet another hateful incident meant to intimidate Jewish New Yorkers and divide our city. And we want to be clear: We cannot and will not accept this as normal," she wrote.
The Speaker highlighted the legislative measures the city is taking to address the root causes of such hatred, referencing the Council's Five-Point Action Plan to Combat Antisemitism. Menin stated that the city would continue its pursuit of education and accountability to protect its citizens.
The Parks Department has been notified to remove the offensive symbols as the NYPD continues to track leads in the ongoing bias investigation.
According to NYPD data released last week, Jews were the targets of 30 of the city’s 50 confirmed hate crimes during the month of April, about 60%, despite comprising roughly 10% of the population.
Other incidents included nine targeting Black individuals, three against Hispanic individuals, five based on sexual orientation, two motivated by religion, and one based on gender; none were reported against Muslims, Asians, or white individuals.
The April figure marked a decline from 43 antisemitic incidents a year earlier. Authorities recorded 21 such cases in February and 32 in March.
From February through April, 83 confirmed antisemitic incidents made up 58% of 143 total hate crimes, averaging roughly one case every 25 hours. Despite a slight drop since 2025, Jews remain the most frequently targeted group, with incidents ranging from harassment and graffiti to assault.