Man sought for drawing spate of swastikas in Manhattan: police

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is looking for a man who allegedly drew swastikas in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City on four separate occasions.

The NYPD posted a video to Twitter on Wednesday of a suspect drawing a swastika on a white pillar at the entrance to City Hall, asking the public if they have seen the person and if they have any relevant information.

The individual has allegedly drawn swastikas in Lower Manhattan on four separate occasions between Dec. 3 and Dec. 14.

WANTED for CRIMINAL MISCHIEF PATTERN: Have you seen this person? On four separate occasions, between 12/3 and 12/14, the suspect drew swastikas in the Lower Manhattan area. Have any info? DM @NYPDTips or anonymously call them at 800-577-TIPS. pic.twitter.com/EAcq7iEEP3

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 15, 2021

Investigators also believe the suspect is responsible for spray-painting a swastika on the Charging Bull Statue on Tuesday; drawing a swastika on a City Hall pillar on Monday and drawing three swastikas at a construction site on Maiden Lane on Dec. 3.

The NYPD described the suspect as a male with light complexion and last seen wearing a black/gray poncho, a black backpack, black jeans and multicolored sneakers. He also appears to walk with a limp, according to the NYPD.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Wednesday directed the New York State police to assist with the investigation after a swastika was found at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway station.

“I am appalled and disgusted that a swastika was scrawled on the wall of the Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall subway station. No one should walk the streets in fear of hate, bigotry and antisemitism,” Hochul said in a statement.

“An attack on a Jewish New Yorker is an attack on all of us. If you commit a hate crime, you are picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers. We are united in saying that hate has no home here in New York. I am directing the New York State Police to assist in this ongoing investigation,” she added.

The New York investigation comes amid a string of antisemitic incidents throughout the country.

Antisemitic fliers were left at homes in Beverly Hills, Calif., last month, and tunnels near the Anne Frank memorial in Boise, Idaho, were defaced with antisemitic graffiti last week.

Earlier in November, a swastika was seen on a sign at an anti-vaccine mandate protest in New York, which Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D) called “repugnant and offensive.”

The string of antisemitic incidents comes after the Anti-Defamation League revealed in May that the U.S. was seeing a concerning rise in antisemitic attacks during the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East. Incident reports at the time had increased by 63 percent amid the conflict.