A Jewish cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan was vandalized with graffiti expressing support for President Donald Trump.
Jewish Insider reporter Jacob Kornbluh tweeted out photos of the graffiti, which show the word “Trump” spray-painted on top of four headstones and “MAGA” [Make America Great Again] spray-painted on top of two headstones.
Michigan Jewish Dems say several headstones at the Ahavas Israel Jewish cemetery in Grand Rapids were vandalized with pro-Trump messages ahead of the president's rally tonight pic.twitter.com/3l25sxACOi
— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) November 2, 2020
Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported that Congregation Ahavas Israel owns the cemetery. The vandalism was discovered on November 2 and is believed to have occurred over the weekend.
Ahavas Israel Rabbi David Krishef told JTA that the graffiti doesn’t necessarily indicate anti-Semitism.
“Whoever did this may or may not have known that this was a Jewish cemetery,” Krishef said. “I don’t want to blow this up into a known and definite incident of anti-Semitism. We don’t know that it was.”
Anti-Defamation League Michigan tweeted, “We are appalled by the reported desecration of gravestones at the Ahavas Israel Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MI. We are in close touch with the Jewish community and Law Enforcement to investigate this vandalism.”
We are appalled by the reported desecration of gravestones at the Ahavas Israel Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MI. We are in close touch with the Jewish community and Law Enforcement to investigate this vandalism. pic.twitter.com/mVeGrlsWxE
— ADL Michigan (@ADLMichigan) November 2, 2020
