Two businesses in West Hollywood were vandalized with anti-Semitic vandalism on New Year’s Eve. Authorities are reviewing surveillance video from around the store. Angie Crouch reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020.
A local rabbi stopped by to say a prayer Thursday for businesses who were hit by anti-Semitic graffiti as new surveillance video shows what appears to be a suspect spray painting one of the windows.
The surveillance video from Micky's bar shows a man walking up to the Block Party WeHo store on Santa Monica Boulevard on New Year's Eve. He appears to remove a spray can from a bag, paints the window and walks away.
Left behind are letters, plus two stars, which may be attempts to draw the star of David, a Jewish symbol.
Just two blocks away, the Bayou bar was also vandalized. A photo from the website wehoville shows someone painted the words "Hitler was right," with another star on the front door on Sunday.
"When I saw the Jewish star on the window — it took something out of me," said Larry Block, who's Jewish and owns Block Party WeHo. "It's 2020. That kind of hurt."
Rabbi Mordechai Kirschenbaum, of Chabad on the Sunset Strip, stopped by to pray with him and to place a Mezuza on the door for protection.
"This is our way of showing solidarity with out neighbors," he said.
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The latest vandalism comes three weeks after the Nessah Synagogue in Beverly Hills was vandalized. A 24-year-old Pennsylvania man pleaded not guilty to felony charges, including a hate crime allegation.
Three Jewish schools on LA's Westside were also vandalized two weeks ago.
There have been nine anti-Semitic attacks in New York in the past week, including a deadly machete attack at the home of a rabbi in Monsey.
Security has been beefed up at all synagogues around LA as the local Jewish community vows to remain united against the rise in hate.
"It's not going to deter us in any way," Kirschenbaum said. "And we're going to continue living proudly as Jews wherever we are."
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the West Hollywood Sheriff Station at 310-855-8850.
