3 minors arrested after spraying racist, anti-Semitic graffiti in Weston, Broward sheriff says
Three minors were arrested after racist and anti-Semitic graffiti messages were spray-painted in several Weston locations in October, authorities said.
The 16-year-olds, who are unnamed, will be charged with felonies, Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office said during a Wednesday press conference. Aside from being caught on video, the minors confessed to the crime.
In later October, anti-Semitic and racist messages were spray painted onto the entrance of the Hunter’s Pointe neighborhood in the 2300 block of Quail Roost Drive.
I am disgusted & dismayed by the hateful messages graffitied in Weston. There is a rise in anti-semitism & racism not only in our state, but across the country. We, as a community, must collectively condemn these acts and the cowards who did this. It’s time to act and speak up. pic.twitter.com/0dp54makFa
— Lauren Book (@LeaderBookFL) October 30, 2022
Just weeks before — hours after the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur — hate speech was found spray-painted in the Weston Hills neighborhood, according to Miami Herald news partner CBS Miami.
The hateful graffiti comes amid a wave of anti-Semitism across the U.S.
The minors expressed remorse and regret during interviews, Tony said, but were still charged. The use of graffiti was a hate crime and won’t be tolerated because it could escalate into more serious offenses, such as an active shooter situation targeting Jews at a synagogue or Black people at a store like in Buffalo.
“We cannot afford to dismiss these threats, and we have to take them serious...,” he added. “I could care less if you’re 14, 15, 16, or 38, or 75, we’re going to charge you accordingly.”
Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus of Chabad of South Broward believes the arrests came at the right time. The Jewish community is preparing for Hanukkah, a holiday that celebrates victory against oppression and teaches the importance of light over darkness.
“Unfortunately, anti-Semitism is one of the great darknesses of this world,” he said.
Tony urged parents to talk to their kids about how threats — and hateful messages — aren’t a joke.
“Maybe we need to do a better job of educating our youth about the severe impacts of the Holocaust, and slavery and racism and how that has divided this community for hundreds of years,” he said.
Tennenhaus said he’s hopeful and confident that the South Florida community will come together and become lamplighters, adding kindness and goodness to the world.
“We have to light more lights, light more menorahs and educate the children of today,” Tennenhaus said.
