Rego Park school vandals still at large
Cuomo calls on state police
to help NYPD investigate
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Two days after anti-
Semitic and Nazi symbols
were found all over a Rego
Park playground, Gov.
Andrew Cuomo on Sunday
ordered the New York State
Police to help the NYPD
investigate the incident and
bring the vandal or vandals
to justice.
“I am appalled and
disgusted by the swastikas
and other anti-Semitic
symbols of hate that were
scrawled in a Queens
schoolyard,” Cuomo said
on Feb. 24, referencing the
Feb. 22 incident at PS 139,
located 93-06 63rd Drive.
“In New York, we have
zero tolerance for such vile
acts of anti-Semitism. I am
directing the State Police
Hate Crimes Task Force to
immediately assist the NYPD
in the investigation of this
hideous act and hold those
accountable to the full extent
of the law.”
City Councilwoman
Karen Koslowitz’s office
received reports about the
hateful vandalism last
Friday, and the Forest Hillsbased
lawmaker visited the
school that day to see it for
herself. She shared images of
the damage on social media.
One photo showed swastikas
written in chalk all across
the playing area; another
picture showed the message,
“Hail Hitler” (sic).
“I am horrified,
disgusted, and nauseated, to
say the least, of what I have
witnessed today,” Koslowitz
tweeted on Friday. “Nazi
imagery and anti-Semitic
slurs were drawn at the P.S.
139 Playground in Rego Park.
I was on the scene today and
most of the imagery has been
washed away. Enough is
enough!”
No arrests have been
made in connection with the
vandalism, according to the
NYPD, and the department’s
investigation is ongoing.
“New Yorkers stand
with the Jewish community
against anti-Semitism in all
its forms, especially in the
wake of the deadliest attack
on the Jewish community in
our nation’s history,” Cuomo
said on Sunday. “We declare
that there is no hate in our
state, and we will always
stand together against hate
and discrimination.”
Reach reporter Robert
Pozarycki by e-mail at
rpozarycki@qns.com or by
phone at (718) 224-5863 ext.
204.
PS 139 defaced with swastikas, anti-Semitic graffiti
Nazi symbolism was found scrawled across the play area at PS 139 in Rego Park.
BY MARK HALLUM
Police may have a hate
crime on their hands after
a Rego Park elementary
school was tagged with anti-
Semitic graffiti overnight on
Friday depicting swastikas
and other Nazi symbolism.
David Aronov, a
representative from City
Councilwoman Karen
Koslowitz’s office, said the
office received a call about
the markings left in the
playground on Feb. 22 as
school staff noticed and paid
a visit with state Sen. Toby
Ann Stavisky to PS 139,
located at 93-06 63rd Drive,
to see it for themselves.
“I am horrified,
disgusted, and nauseated, to
say the least, of what I have
witnessed today,” Koslowitz
wrote in a Twitter post.
“Nazi imagery and anti-
Semitic slurs were drawn
at the P.S. 139 Playground
in Rego Park. I was on the
scene today and most of the
imagery has been washed
away. Enough is enough!”
Aronov said the 112th
Precinct was called to
investigate, though many
of the markings had been
washed away by the time
police arrived to take
the report.
One drawing, reminiscent
Photos via Facebook/City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz
Swastikas were drawn on the basketball courts at the Rego Park
elementary school.
of the Nazi Wehrmacht eagle,
is believed to have taken
a little longer to create,
Aronov said, leading them
to believe the work was done
sometime in the night.
The NYPD says that the
investigation is ongoing and
that more details about this
incident would be provided
as they are made available.
Reach reporter Mark
Hallum by e-mail at
mhallum@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4564.
City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz and State Sen. Toby Ann
Stavisky saw the anti-Semitic graffiti.
I am horrified,
disgusted, and
nauseated,
to say the
least, of what
I witnessed
today.
Karen Koslowitz
4 TIMESLEDGER, MARCH 1-7, 2019 QNS.COM
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