Several dozen headstones at a Jewish cemetery were vandalized with swastikas and ‘Kanye [West] was rite’ graffiti.
The horrible news comes from the Chicago suburb of Waukegan where the police were called to Am Echod Jewish cemetery after vandals defaced 39 headstones.
According to the local reports, 16 gravestones were spray-painted in red to feature swastikas – the Nazi symbol – and graffiti that read “Kanye was rite.”
An additional 23 headstones were vandalized with “non-specific” graffiti.
The “Kanye was rite” inscriptions referenced the disgraced rapper who last month sparked a heated debate about hate speech after a tirade of antisemitic comments.
As of this writing, it is unclear who or how many people were behind the shameful act. The suspects have yet to be identified and brought to justice.
“We are deeply disturbed and angered by the hateful imagery found spray-painted on headstones,” Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said.
“Hate does not have a home in Waukegan; when such incidents occur, our marginalized neighbors are victimized, and our entire community suffers.
“I hope our officers promptly locate the perpetrators of this despicable act and hold them accountable, and I offer my full support to those directly impacted by this vandalism.”
Speaking out after the random act of vandalism was also Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker who condemned the “evil act” and offered state support to catch the perpetrators.
“I stand with Mayor Ann Taylor in condemning this evil act, and offer the state’s full support in the pursuit of justice. Officials at Illinois State Police are in communication with city leaders,” he said.
After the news of the disgraceful act had spread, several activist groups including Stop Antisemitism and the Anti-Defamation League branded the incident as a “hate crime” and called it a result of “depravity and evil.”
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