The national headquarters of the Israeli-American Council (IAC) in Woodland Hills was targeted in an antisemitic vandalism incident over the weekend, officials said.
Swastikas, Nazi symbols, and hateful messages including “F— Jews, BDS” were spray-painted on the sidewalk, building entrance, and nearby barriers close to the community center and offices of the IAC’s Los Angeles region, according to the organization.
The vandalism included a yellow swastika and the letters “SS,” referencing the Nazi Schutzstaffel, painted on the sidewalk directly in front of the Shepher Community Center on Winnetka Avenue. A swastika was also drawn on a cardboard snowman at the building’s entrance, while additional hateful graffiti was found along a barrier near the Highway 101 freeway entrance and elsewhere in the area.
The Shepher Community Center serves as a hub for the local Israeli-American and American Jewish communities, hosting both IAC offices and community programming.
The IAC is working with the Topanga Community Police Division of the Los Angeles Police Department on the investigation. Officials said security cameras captured an image of a suspect, which police are reviewing as part of their efforts.
“We are appalled by this vile act of antisemitism at the doorstep of our own community and offices,” said Elan S. Carr, CEO of the Israeli-American Council and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. “Around the world and across our country, we have seen an alarming and historic rise in antisemitism. We are working tirelessly to fight it and to ensure that history does not repeat itself. This incident will not intimidate or deter us — on the contrary, it fuels our determination to stand even stronger against antisemitism and to protect and strengthen our community for generations to come.”
Photos released by the IAC show the extent of the vandalism at the Shepher Community Center and nearby areas.
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