Local Jewish organizations reported that an Israeli flag near the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza was covered in red spray paint on Friday morning.
The Horwitz-Wasserman Memorial has released video and photos of the suspect defacing the flag early on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, urging witnesses to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia stated that the mayor’s office acted quickly to replace the flag. The federation denounced the vandalism, suggesting it was a deliberate act of intimidation following the Houthi drone attack.
"This is a vile act of antisemitism, and the fourth antisemitic incident at the Holocaust Memorial Plaza and by the Israeli flag just this year," Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation executive director Eszter Kutas said in a statement. "The conflict raging in the Middle East should not give cover to hateful conduct like this. People who are actually interested in supporting peace efforts engage in dialogue rather than the destruction of public property."
The Jerusalem Post contributed to this report
