Brookline community rallies after "Free Palestine" brick thrown through kosher grocery store window
Police in Massachusetts say they are investigating a hate crime after a brick with "Free Palestine" written on it was thrown through the window of a kosher grocery store.
It happened Sunday morning at The Butcherie on Harvard Street in Brookline, prompting the Brookline community to come out in a show of support for the grocery store.
Brookline business targeted
"Very sad. It's a pure hate crime against us, the Jewish people," Gil Zilberberg, owner of The Butcherie, said.
Surveillance video captured the suspects in the act around midnight on Saturday. Video shows one person walking down the street with a brick in hand. Seconds later, the storefront glass window shattered. The brick was aimed at the map of Israel that's on the glass window.
"As we're cleaning up, we picked up the brick and we see, 'Free Palestine,'" he said. Zilberberg said his family opened The Butcherie 54 years ago. He's now the third generation to own the Jewish all-Kosher shop. "I'm raising three boys over here, but this is a pure hate crime," he said.
Police said it is unclear exactly how many suspects there were, but added that there were at least two. After throwing the brick, police said the masked suspects then ran off back down Coolidge Street to an unknown location.
No other businesses in the area were targeted, police said.
Support from Brookline community
The incident has sparked outrage in the Brookline community. On Sunday, a small rally took place outside The Butcherie to support Zilberberg and the Jewish community.
"He showed me the broken glass. He showed me the brick thrown through the window, and it was incredibly upsetting and incredibly distressing. This is an attack on all of us," said Ariella Hellman, director of Government Affairs for Agudath Israel, who lives a block away from the store.
"This is an iconic establishment here in Brookline that doesn't just serve Jewish residents of Brookline but, really, Greater Boston as a whole," said Brookline Selectman David Pearlman.
"It's an egregious act of vandalism and hate designed to strike fear in the hearts of the Jewish community. This is our neighborhood grocery store, and we cannot stand for something like this," said Marc Baker, the president of Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
Zilberberg said he hopes the people responsible will be caught. Meanwhile, he will continue to run his business, knowing he has the community's support.
"Nothing will break us," he said.
ADL response
Samantha Joseph, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League of New England, released a statement on Sunday.
"This is the latest in a string of attacks on the Jewish community where the words 'Free Palestine' were used to weaponize violence against Jews," Joseph said. "Holding a Jewish business accountable for the situation in the Middle East is antisemitic, plain and simple, and is another example of radical anti-Israel activity resulting in violence against the Jewish community. Everyone must condemn this appalling attack. Silence in the face of antisemitism only emboldens those who spread hate."
A recent audit compiled by the ADL found antisemitism on the rise in New England. Specifically, more than 400 incidents were reported in Massachusetts. That ranked the state fifth in the nation behind New York, California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
In October, police investigated when offensive stickers were found in Brookline and Cambridge. The stickers, which were an Israeli flag with the Star of David replaced with a blue swastika, were placed outside a synagogue, a grade school, and a popular Jewish deli.
Police are asking for the public's help as they continue to investigate the incident. Anyone with video is asked to contact the Brookline Police Department at (617) 730-2711.
