Political Event Canceled After Anti-Semitic Graffiti Found At Union Temple of Brooklyn

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Someone wrote anti-semitic messages, inside the Union Temple of Brooklyn at 17 Eastern Parkway in Prospect Heights near Grand Army Plaza. The temple was about to host a political event by Ilana Glazer of “Broad City”, which was canceled as the result.

Glazer has been interviewing Democratic candidates for her show The Generator Series that is taped at the synagogue. The interview was set to start at 8:00 p.m and feature Democratic candidates for State Senate – Andrew Gounardes and Jim Gaughran.

“Yesterday evening, I was excited to appear on Ilana Glazer’s The Generator Series, alongside State Senate candidate Jim Gaughran and Amy Goodman of Indivisible to talk about the importance of this Tuesday’s election. Unfortunately, prior to the show, anti-semitic graffiti was found throughout the Union Temple of Brooklyn theater and, out of caution, the theater was evacuated and the show was canceled.

The messages ranged from “Hitler,” “Jew better be ready,” “End is now,” to “Die, Jew Rats, we are here, ” police told us this morning.

Gounardes released a Facebook post describing the event last night.

Police said the investigation started a little after 8:15 p.m. By 9:30 p.m. a group of people leaving Mary Kay meeting said police asked about the incident. Also, gym members of the Eastern Atheltic Club—also housed inside the space—were met with locked doors as they came for their nighttime workouts.

The incident is being investigated as a hate crime, police said.

Gothamist reported 142 anti-Semitic crimes reported in New York City this year, up from 126 the same time in 2017.

The incident occurs after racial slurs were drawn on a residence in Brooklyn Heights. Both incidents occurred one week after a deadly shooting in Pittsburgh synagogue that left 11 people dead.