Pro-Palestinian protesters vandalized the homes of Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak and several Jewish board members in what local elected officials are calling an act of “vile anti-Semitism.”
Vandals defaced the front of the homes with red paint and also painted inverted red triangles on the doors, which Jewish advocate Aviva Klompas claims are a “symbol used by terrorists to mark targets they want to take out.”
Outside of Pasternak’s home protesters tied a banner peppered with red hand prints reading “Anne Pasternak Brooklyn Museum White-Supremacist Zionist.”
“The cowards who did this are way over the line into antisemitism, harming the cause they claim to care about, and making everyone less safe,” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander tweeted Wednesday.
Disgusting & horrible incident of vandalism happened over night in Brooklyn Heights & other locations affiliated with Bk Museum. This anti-Semitic incident is despicable.
I visited coop this morning and spoke to NYPD, board members, & staff. There is video & PD is investigating. pic.twitter.com/XvhrIcktaV
— Lincoln Restler (@LincolnRestler) June 12, 2024
Pasternak lives in Nassau County, according to public records. It was not immediately clear how many other board members’ homes were vandalized.
“We are deeply troubled by these horrible acts,” Museum spokesman Taylor Maatman said when reached Wednesday.
City Councilman Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn) said there is video capturing the vandalism and that police are investigating.
“This vandalism and attack on people’s homes is indefensible and counterproductive,” he wrote.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters rallied outside the Brooklyn Museum on May 31, with some getting into the building and setting up tents. NYPD cops arrested 34 protesters during the raucous rally.
Last night vandals defaced the homes of the Jewish director & several Jewish board members of the @brooklynmuseum.
The cowards who did this are way over the line into antisemitism, harming the cause they claim to care about, and making everyone less safe. pic.twitter.com/MzEVgJYCwQ
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) June 12, 2024
There has been a steady stream of protests in the city and across the nation since the Oct 7 attacks in Israel by Hamas terrorists and the corresponding attacks by Israel which have left some 36,000 Palestinians dead.
On Monday, protesters rallied outside the Nova Exhibition, a memorial created to honor the victims of Hamas’ attack that killed some 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds hostage.
Some protesters waved a flag with Hamas’ emblem as well as a sign lauding the massacre.
Mayor Adams and relatives of those killed during the Oct. 7 terror attack visited the exhibition Tuesday, calling the previous day’s protest “despicable.”
“I cannot describe what I felt,” said Menashe Manzuri, the father of Roya Manzuri, 22, and Norelle Manzuri, 25, who were among the Israelis killed in the Oct. 7 massacre. Manzuri was at the exhibition when the protest broke out Monday. “It was like they killed me again and again and again.”
