Huntsville Police continue to investigate multiple cases of antisemitic vandalism

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Officers with the Huntsville Police Department are still searching for who was responsible for the racist and antisemitic graffiti found on the side of Wahlburgers in the MidCity District in February.

On Feb. 28, officers found swastikas and racist slogans on the side of the building.

This isn’t the first time hateful words have been sprayed on a wall in Huntsville. Etz Chayim Synagogue and the Chabad of Huntsville also saw antisemitic graffiti on their walls in April 2020, near the Passover holiday. A giant menorah was stolen from Chabad a year later.

No one has been arrested or charged for any of these crimes according to Huntsville Police Department representatives.

Jewish leaders are surprised to see this rise of hate, but they don’t think it’s going to end anytime soon.

“We don’t understand fully the minds of antisemitic and racist attacks, so, yes I think it will occur sporadically but hopefully not soon,” says Michael Goodman, the Vice President of Temple B’nai Sholom.

Goodman has been in Huntsville for decades. He says he’s never seen this many displays of antisemitism.

This rise isn’t just happening in the Tennessee Valley, there’s been a steady upswing of anti-Semitic attacks since 2016. 2021 was the highest year on record for documented reports of harassment, vandalism and violence directed against Jewish people according to the Anti-Defamation League.

“You seem to see recently a few more antisemitic actions against Jews across not only in north Alabama but really across the United States,” Goodman said. “I don’t know the source of it but it is disappointing.”

The WAFF news team asked the City of Huntsville representatives for a statement concerning the recent anti-Semitic attacks in our area and they have not responded.

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