Police are investigating antisemitic vandalism discovered on Tuesday morning at Shaare Tefila Congregation in Olney, Md., as local and state officials condemned the incident and pledged accountability.
Officers from the Montgomery County Police Department’s 4th District responded to the conservative synagogue on Georgia Avenue around 8 a.m., following reports of graffiti.
Police stated that sometime overnight between Feb. 9 and Feb. 10, unknown suspects spray-painted antisemitic phrases and symbols on multiple signs in front of the synagogue. The department said it is actively investigating, canvassing the area and reviewing surveillance footage. Patrols in the area have been increased.
Jewish advocacy group Canary Mission shared a photo of the graffiti on social media, noting that markings included a swastika, the word “genocide” and “AZAB,” an acronym for “All Zionists Are Bastards.”
“The vandalism ironically covered banners reading ‘Hate Has No Home Here,’” the group wrote.
The Nexus Project, a coalition that fights antisemitism, stated, “This isn’t about Zionism or anti-Zionism.”
“This is about antisemitism. There is no excuse for a swastika on a synagogue. That’s antisemitic, plain and simple,” the group wrote.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich stated that he was “appalled by the damage done,” adding, “I condemn all acts of antisemitism.”
“Antisemitism is on the rise across the country, and incidents like this deepen the anxiety and pain felt by our Jewish neighbors,” Elrich said. He highlighted county investments in nonprofit security grants, expanded law enforcement resources and a hate-bias reporting portal.
“Acts of hate—whether directed at Jews, Muslims, Christians, or any other community—undermine the safety and dignity of our neighbors and have no place here,” he said.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also denounced the “antisemitic and anti-Israel message,” stating, “There is no higher goal for any chief executive than ensuring their people feel safe where they live, where they work, and where they worship.”
“Our administration is in close contact with local authorities in Montgomery County, and we remain committed to stomping out antisemitism in all its wicked forms,” Moore wrote.
