Brooklyn Playground Vandalized with Swastikas Twice in One Week

Vandalism at Gravesend Park

• 💔 Gravesend Park in Brooklyn was vandalized with swastikas and hateful language on two separate occasions this week.
• 🎨 In the most recent incident, nearly 60 swastikas were painted in red and blue across playground equipment, a slide, a wall, a ball court, and the sidewalk.
• 🗓️ The first incident occurred on Monday, with 16 swastikas found in red paint on playground equipment and the sidewalk.

Community Reaction and Impact

• 😔 Members of the largely Orthodox Jewish community expressed deep sadness, frustration, and heartbreak over the recurring anti-semitic incidents.
• 🗣️ One mother described the vandalism as "absolutely uncalled for" and stated that their community is welcoming to all races and types of people.
• 😠 Some community members feel that such incidents have become normalized, leading to a sense of sadness rather than anger.

Official Response and Investigation

• 🚨 Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul condemned the vandalism, with the Governor stating zero tolerance for such acts.
• 🚓 The Governor's hate crimes task force is assisting the NYPD in the investigation.
• 📹 While the park lacks internal cameras, police are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby cameras for potential leads on the perpetrators.
• 🚫 As of the report, no arrests have been made.

Community Resilience

• 💪 Despite the hateful acts, community members vow to continue visiting the park and standing up for themselves and their neighbors.