Swastikas Scrawled at Jewish Center as Spate of Vandalism Continues

Walls outside the M. Larry Lawrence Jewish Community Center in La Jolla were defaced with swastikas early Wednesday, in what authorities say is the latest incident in a spate of anti-Semitic vandalism in San Diego.

Two swastikas and a “couple of statements anti-Jewish in nature” were scrawled in gray paint on walls outside the center on the 4100 block of Executive Drive, San Diego police spokesman Bill Robinson said. The building’s walls were defaced with swastikas Feb. 12.

“What makes this very unusual is that this rarely occurs in San Diego,” said Morris Casuto, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish human relations agency that deals with racial, sexual, ethnic and other prejudice and handles cases of alleged discrimination from individuals of any color or creed. “This is a city that has been historically . . . free of this type of insidious bigotry.”

Casuto said that there have been eight similar incidents at synagogues and Jewish institutions in San Diego and El Cajon dating back to early December of last year.

“I don’t think it’s just Jewish institutions that have been harassed,” he said. “Churches and other institutions have felt the sting of vandalism.”

Casuto said it’s one of the worst runs of anti-Semitic vandalism he can recall.

“I’ve been here for 10 years and I don’t remember so many instances coming so close together.” But he cautioned that it doesn’t take many people to appear that there is a wave of activity.

Robinson said the Police Department is investigating each case.

“We don’t know if they are related because some were spray painted and some were painted with a brush,” he said.

No arrests have been made in connection with the vandalism, Robinson said.

“These people should remember that minor vandalism cases are misdemeanors by state law,” he said, “but in cases of defamation of religious institutions it’s a felony.”

Rise in Vandalism Noted

Clara Harris, executive director of the Heartland Human Relations Assn. in La Mesa, said her organization has noticed a definite rise in anti-Semitic vandalism in the last year or two in San Diego.

“There has absolutely been a rise in vandalism aimed at the Jewish community,” Harris said. “People are anxious to be better than someone else, and that seems especially true in young people today.”

Casuto left open the possibility that the most recent crime may have been committed by “skinheads,” a fringe movement of youths that have reportedly been involved in racially motivated vandalism and violence.

Casuto said the organization has done its own investigation of the incidents. “It is important to differentiate that not all skinheads are bigots. But there are indications which point to individuals who identify themselves to skinheads.”

Anti-Semitic vandalism seems to escalate when “skinheads are in the news,” he said.

Plans for Coalition

Meanwhile, Casuto said representatives of the Jewish community and other religious denominations in San Diego met recently to plan the formation of an interreligious coalition aimed at preserving the right of the religious community “to both pray and worship without harassment.”

Vandalism directed at a Moslem mosque or a Buddhist temple or a Jewish synagogue, Casuto said, “is directed against all of us.”

As annoying as their actions might be, Casuto said, “they are not about to threaten the Jewish community or the black, Hispanic or Asian or other communities in San Diego.”

Robinson said anyone with information on any of the incidents can call the confidential police hot line, (619) 235-TIPS.