Anti-Semitic vandalism found near Bethesda Elementary School, police say

BETHESDA, Md. ( DC Ne ws Now ) — Police are investigating after suspects spray painted anti-Semitic phrases at Bethesda Elementary School and surrounding areas in downtown Bethesda Sunday morning, according to the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

MCPD said that at around 7:15 a.m., officers responded to Bethesda Elementary School for the report of vandalism.

During the overnight hours, suspects who are unknown at this time, spray-painted anti-Semitic phrases in the parking lot area of the school and at a nearby building in the 4900 block of Del Ray Ave, according to police.

“I certainly understand the plight of the Palestinians from from the back on this history,” said Rhita Akhardid, a vendor at the farmers’ market, who is from Morocco, and is Muslim. “But this is not okay to displace, other people’s property.”

The MCPD 2nd District posted a photo on social media of people from the Bethesda Urban Partnership cleaning up the markings at Bethesda Elementary School.

Akhardid and her staff used chalk to cover-up the graffiti because it was the only thing they had to cover up the spraypaint.

“I don’t really like what I saw,” said Omar Abumoussa, part of the staff, and is also Muslim. “Obviously I’m, I’m a supporter of, like, Palestine and, and a whole, like, movementt. But I don’t think this is the right way to do it.”

Jewish groups were quick to condemn the graffiti.

“There’s never any excuse for any kind of hateful language anywhere but to have such a graphic language at an elementary school, and in front of a farmer’s market, which attracts scores of families every Sunday morning here was beyond the pale,” said Guila Franklin Siegel, chief operating officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.

In the post, the department referred to the vandalism as “hate speech.”

While some of the messages spray-painted were considered hate speech, some of the vandalism did not explicitly target Jewish people but showed general support for Palestinians.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.