‘SHAMEFUL AND REPUGNANT’
NYPD removes anti-Semitic
graffiti from Forest Hills fence
Photo courtesy of Avi Cyperstein
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | DEC. 25-DEC. 31, 2020 5
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Vulgar anti-Semitic graffiti spraypainted
onto a Forest Hills homeowner’s
fence was removed by the NYPD on
Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal, who
was alerted by a resident on social media
about the graffiti at 10:25 a.m., visited the
site near the Grand Central Service Road
at 68th Drive and contacted the NYPD
112th Precinct. The comment referenced
performing a sex act on Jewish women.
“This shameful and repugnant act
has no place in our community. It will
not be tolerated and must be stamped
out,” Rosenthal said. “This latest event
comes on the heels of a cyber attack on
a local Jewish school in Long Island.
Anti-Semitism is not new to our community
but we must stand united and with
one voice declare that there is no room
for it. The scourge of anti-Semitism and
hate must be combated at every level. I
condemn in the strongest possible terms
any acts of anti-Semitism and I have full
confidence in the NYPD that they will
find the perpetrator and that justice will
be served.”
When the homeowners departed at
10:15 a.m. there was no sign of damage,
they said.
“We are extremely upset and distressed
by these circumstances. My father
recently passed; this had been his
home,” the homeowner said. “It disturbs
us to know that our home was used to
disseminate hate.”
Avi Cyperstein, a candidate running
for City Council District 29, was with the
homeowners and Queens Borough Safety
Patrol Shmira and their coordinator
Yoni Fricker. Cyperstein had described
the situation to the NYPD’s Bias Unit,
Evidence Collection Unit and investigators.
“There is no room for hate of any
kind in Queens. There is no acceptance
for vandalism at any level. It is most disturbing
to see property being defaced,”
Cyperstein said. “I call upon our community
to stand up against hatred and prejudice
like the unfortunate circumstances
that unfolded in Forest Hill today. I am so
proud of the swift response by the NYPD,
Shmira, and Chaverim volunteers. I am
a ‘doer’ not a laker, and I am running for
NYC Council to get things done.”
Eli Love, a member of the Chaveirim
of Queens, a local volunteer-based assistance
crew, joined Cyperstein at a local
hardware store, Safehouse Locksmith,
where the owner, Michael Khiyayev,
agreed to donate materials to remove the
graffiti.
Meanwhile, Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards said the “sickening
display of anti-Semitism has no place
in The World’s Borough,” especially as
the Jewish community in Forest Hills
and across Queens celebrated the holy
week of Hannukah.
“This intolerable act of vandalism
will not go unpunished, and our office is
working closely with the NYPD, the NYC
Commission on Human Rights and the
NYC Office for the Prevention of Hate
Crimes to ensure those responsible are
held accountable for their shameful, unacceptable
act of hate,” Richards said.
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by
e-mail at cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
or by phone at (718) 260–4526.
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