The Molotov cocktail tossed at The New JCC at Milken Monday caused minimal property damage and injured no one, but the community response to the middle-of-the-night attack was pronounced.
“In a city defined by unparalleled diversity, hate crimes of any kind will not be tolerated, and this incident will not go unanswered,” Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in a statement. “In one voice, we must condemn this attack. As one city, we must work to ensure that no Angeleno is forced to fear for their lives or their safety because of their race, religion or ethnicity.”
The early Monday attack at the Milken campus in West Hills, which police were investigating as a possible hate crime, came a month after neighbors in upscale parts of Encino and Tarzana awoke to find swastikas and epithets like “F— Jews” and “Burn Jews” spray-painted in front of four homes.
Last May, the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center in Sherman Oaks received a few anti-Semitic letters, though they included no threats. The Milken campus is 13 miles from the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Granada Hills, where on Aug. 10, 1999, three small children, a teenager and an adult receptionist were wounded in a fusillade of 70 bullets from white supremacist Buford O. Furrow, Jr. On the same day, Burrow also killed a Filipino-American postal carrier and is now serving a life sentence in prison.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, which owns and operates the Milken campus, said it would remain vigilant in safeguarding the facility.
“An attack like this is always a concern,” said Federation spokeswoman Deborah Dragon. “It frightens people and it makes them question their ability to live in a multi-ethnic community. That is never acceptable.”
LAPD official email alert
COMMUNITY ALERT NOTIFICATION
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF LAPD West Valley Area
Hate Crimes in West Hills
On February 18, 2008 from 2:00 am until 4:00 pm, West Valley area had three seperate Hate Crimes reported. This included molotov cocktails thrown at the Jewish Federation, located at 22622 Vanowen Street, a molotov cocktail thrown at a private residence, and a hate filled phone call to a large retail store in West Hills. We would like to alert our community of these criminal incidents and ask for your assistance to watching for any criminal activity, and reporting it as soon as possible, to assist us in apprehending these individuals.
We feel that the retail store incident is most likely unrelated, however it is appropriate to advise the Jewish community of all of the incidents for the sake of increased vigilance and accurate reporting.
If you have witnessed, or have any knowledge of similar recent criminal activity related to the hatred of any Jewish location, please contact your Senior Lead Officer or the West Valley Area Patrol Services. The numbers are listed below for your convenience.
In this time of particulat unrest and turmoil, it is extremely important that we have an accurate understanding of any hatred expressed or proposed towards the Jewish community.
FOR MORE CRIME PREVENTION INFORMATION, LOG ON TO LAPDONLINE.ORG If you have additional questions or can provide any information about the above crimes please contact your area Senior Lead Officer at (818) 374-7630 or the West Valley Area Patrol Services at (818) 374-7611.
Please do not respond to this email, replies are not monitored Important Telephone Numbers | EMERGENCY CALL 911 CITY-WIDE DIRECTORY 311 | NON EMERGENCY 1-877-ASKLAPD For additional Crime Prevention information, Log on: www.lapdonline.org
