Long Island officials denounce antisemitic graffiti found along fence in East Meadow
EAST MEADOW, Long Island (WABC) -- Officials on Long Island are vowing to catch and prosecute whoever is responsible after antisemitic graffiti was discovered in East Meadow.
The hate graffiti was found Monday morning along Merrick Avenue scrawled against a fence shared by neighbors.
The green spray-painted hate messages stretched along a fence about half the length of a football field -- and covered the faces of hostages taken by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7.
"Most of them civilians who were taken and continue to suffer and to paint free Palestine over their faces is to say that we agree with all of those things that happened to them," said Rabbi Aaron Marsh with East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center.
The Nassau County district attorney promised to catch whoever is responsible and prosecute them.
"I stand by you and with you and will prosecute the individuals and work alongside the police department to find out who did this," said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly.
It happened at a location that is predominantly Jewish.
"We're proud of them and we will not stand for these messages of violence and hate," said 13th District Legislator Thomas McKevitt.
Donnelly said hate crime charges are possible.
"If it was a misdemeanor, this moves it up to a class D felony, this is a clear cut hate crime and we will not put up with that," Donnelly said.
It comes as tensions in the Middle East are at an all-time high after Iran's missile attack against Israel over the weekend.
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