Chicago police issue alert for antisemitic vandalism in Hyde Park
For nearly a month, someone has been blanketing Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood with antisemitic messages.
The hate-filled messages range from slurs to wishing death on those who are Jewish. They were found on mailboxes, stop signs, Amazon lockers, and University of Chicago BlueLight emergency phone boxes.
Police said they the vandalism occurred at the following locations and times:
- Monday, June 23, in the 5100 block of South University Avenue at 2:41 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 24, in the 1300 block of East 53rd Street between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
- Tuesday, June 24, in the 1300 block of East 54th Street at 10:07 p.m.
- Sunday, June 29, in the 1200 block of East 53rd Street at 8:47 p.m.
- Monday, June 30, in the 1500 block of East 55th Street at 11:25 a.m.
- Tuesday, July 22, in the 1600 block of East 55th Street at 9:52 a.m.
- Tuesday, July 22, in the 5000 block of South Greenwood Avenue at 11 a.m.
In some of the instances, someone placed stickers with antisemitic messages. In others, they scrawled or carved graffiti.
One of the objects that was defaced was a mailbox right across the street from the KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation, at 1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd.
"Some member of our community found posted on a mailbox there a sign that said, 'Kill all Jews,' that had been taped to the Post Office box," said Rabbi Daniel Kirzane of KAM Isaiah Israel.
Kirzane said the sign was discovered on the mailbox on June 23. They called police.
"And then soon learned that there had been a series of similar messages written in different forms throughout Hyde Park," Kirzane said.
At Nichols Park, 1355 E. 53rd St., Kirzane said park benches were defaced by someone carving a slur for Jewish people into the wood.
"There were a lot of those written all around," Kirzane said. Though there were several incidents, the three or four that I can remember where the message was, 'Kill all Jews.' 'All Jews are terrorists,' was one, and I would say that, so, the more quote-unquote 'benign' ones are the ones that were simply racial slurs."
Kirzane said there has been an outpouring of support from the faith-based community and city leaders.
"The overwhelming message is, they don't speak for us," he said. "One person doesn't speak for our whole community, and that was the takeaway that we had as a congregation."
An investigation by Wentworth Area detectives is ongoing. If you have information about this vandalism, CPD asks you contact Wentworth Area detectives at 312-747-8380.
