In a disturbing act of hatred, the residences of the Brooklyn Museum's director, Anne Pasternak, and several Jewish board members were vandalized with antisemitic graffiti and damage. The perpetrators threw red paint and scrawled chilling messages such as "blood on your hands" across the properties, leaving a trail of fear and intimidation.
Pasternak's cooperative apartment building in Brooklyn Heights bore the brunt of the attack, with a menacing sign labeling her a "White Supremacist Zionist." An inverted red triangle, a symbol previously used by groups opposed to Israel to identify military targets, was also spray-painted on her door.
Mayor Eric Adams swiftly condemned the acts, stating, "This is not peaceful protest or free speech. This is a crime, and it's overt, unacceptable antisemitism. These actions will never be tolerated in New York City for any reason." The mayor expressed his regret to Pasternak and the targeted board members, vowing, "I spoke to Anne this morning and committed that this hate will not stand in our city. The NYPD is investigating and will bring the perpetrators responsible here to justice."
This is not peaceful protest or free speech. This is a crime, and it's overt, unacceptable antisemitism.
These actions will never be tolerated in New York City for any reason. I'm sorry to Anne Pasternak and members of @brooklynmuseum's board who woke up to hatred like this.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 12, 2024
On June 10, pro-Palestinian demonstrators lit smoke canisters and flares outside The Nova Music Festival Exhibition in Lower Manhattan, which paid tribute to the victims of the Oct. 7 massacre.
Mayor Eric Adams visited with victim's families there and condemned the messages from the protesters. "You do not call for peace and wave flags of Hamas. You do not call for peace and then come to a memorial site," Adams said.
Any New Yorker who stands for peace cannot stand next to those waving Hamas and Hezbollah flags, especially at an exhibit commemorating the victims of the Nova Music Festival massacre. That is pure anti-Semitism.
The NYPD has overseen thousands of peaceful protests, but it is… pic.twitter.com/dhViBGfcMn
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 11, 2024
Meanwhile, another antisemitic incident occurred on a NYC subway train car, where a keffiyeh-donning mob chanted in unison "Raise your hands if you're a Zionist. This is your chance to get out."
The mindless mob on a NYC subway car: "Raise your hands if you're a Zionist. This is your chance to get out."
That's an explicit threat @NYPDnews @NYCMayor pic.twitter.com/zmDpsx2hYN
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) June 11, 2024
