Menorah Vandalized with Swastika

KKTV

Police need your help tracking down vandals who defaced a religious symbol in our community with graffiti.

Someone spray-painted a Nazi Swastika sign on a Jewish menorah.

It happened in a neighborhood at the corner of Rockrimmon and Allegheny in Colorado Springs.

Neighbors are outraged at the hate crime against their neighbors.

“I think it’s sad that someone would defame them and treat them that way,” said concerned neighbor Carole, who passed by the menorah every day.

The menorah was in the front yard of a rabbi. The rabbi says his synagogue put the menorah up to send a positive message to the community during the Festival of Hanukkah.

“It was so uplifting…the community was celebrating a message of courage and hope, what the Hanukkah’s rich and wonderful story and history represents. So this is very horrific and terrible,” said Rabbi Moshe Liberow.

Liberow belongs to a synagogue just down the road from his house called the Chabad Jewish Center.

Each year they put the menorah up in a different spot in Colorado Springs to spread the hopeful message.

But this is the first time anything like this has ever happened.

He was shocked to find such a negative symbol spray-painted on a symbol or peace and hope.

“This is a very despicable, horrifying act, and this is unacceptable to say the least. It’s very disturbing,” said Liberow.

Neighbors agree, calling the crime both unacceptable and heartbreaking.

“I think it’s disgusting. Of course they are allowed to have that out there just as much as a Christmas tree. And I think that we need to honor one another when we’re in our neighborhood and not be desecrating things,” said nearby resident Ed Anderson.

People we talked to can’t believe the disturbing crime.

“Especially someone expressing their faith in their way, it just makes me sad that someone would do that,” said Tracy Hiester. She adds, “It’s a little scary too to wonder who’s out wandering the neighborhoods.”

“It’s a little worrisome because I’m raising my children here and I think it’s a hate crime…I don’t want them to be exposed to that,” said concerned neighbor Carole.

The rabbi calls the act “cowardly” and says it won’t stop them from putting up the menorah each year.

But he does hope the vandals will be stopped.

We asked police if they think this crime and a hate crime we told you about Monday night are connected. Vandals spray-painted cars and houses with disgusting words; in one case the message on a car said, “I hate black people.” They even targeted a local church. This was near South Nevada and I-25.

Right now police tell us they don’t have reason to believe they are connected, but they are still investigating.

Police don’t have suspects for either crime, so if you know anything call Crime Stoppers at 634-STOP (7867). Remember, you don’t have to give your name.