'You Don't Know How To Draw A Swastika?' Misshapen Symbols Of Hate Found In Nanuet
NANUET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A hate crime investigation was underway in Rockland County where swastikas were spray painted in front of a home.
A crudely scrawled blue swastika defaced a "for sale" sign outside of a house on Second Avenue in Nanuet. More Nazi symbols were found on the sidewalk along with the word "hate."
"I walked out and I couldn't see it through the trees. I said, 'is that a swastika," Shelby Destine told CBS2's Brian Conybeare. "I got so pissed I yelled, 'Don't touch anything. I'm calling the police."
Shelby Destine and her family discovered the hateful messages on Saturday morning.
"It makes me feel not safe, because what's to keep them from coming around the fence and doing something worse?" she said.
The new owner of the multi-family rental home happens to be Jewish according to longtime tenant Jean Baptist Hibert who said they are a welcome change no matter what their religion.
"I'm really happy. I got a nice deal with them. They got a nice office and it's really nice," he said.
Whoever did it apparently targeted the building across the street, but it's fairly obvious they don't know much about painting swastikas. There was also a misshapen blue symbol in the middle of the street.
"Obviously hate breeds among people who are under-educated, and to be so stupid you don't know how to draw a swastika?" Yossi Gestetner said.
Yossi Gestetner runs the orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council.
He said this is happening all too often. In fact, the Anti-Defamation League reports anti-Semitic vandalism incidents jumped 50 percent in 2016 across New York state.
"My message to the haters or the losers do these things is that the orthodox and Hasidic community will not be deterred. We will continue to grow and continue to be good neighbors regardless of what type of hateful acts you may want to throw in our direction," Gestetner said.
That community continues to grow rapidly in Nanuet.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day condemned the hateful vandalism and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
