$25,000 reward offered to find vandal who targeted Holocaust memorial in Philadelphia
In this incident, the suspect is seen wearing a ski mask, but officials hope his clothing will help identify him.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The dedicated people who work at the Horwitz Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza in Philadelphia are asking for the public's help in finding the person who vandalized it in January.
"Early Sunday morning around 1:30 a.m. on January 14, a vandal drew a large swastika on the wall of the Holocaust Memorial Plaza," said Eszter Kutas, executive director of Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation.
The Holocaust memorial is located at 16th and Arch streets near Love Park in Center City.
The Anti-Defamation League released data citing antisemitic incidents that have been on the rise since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War.
From October 7, 2023, to January 7, 2024, there were 554 antisemitic vandalism incidents recorded nationwide.
That's a 31% increase over the same period one year ago.
In this incident, the suspect is seen wearing a ski mask, but officials hope his clothing will help identify him.
"He was wearing a dark jacket, maybe brown with a white stripe across it, and he was also wearing black pants and black shoes," authorities stated.
David Adelman, a developer, is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
All you have to do is call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS. All calls will remain anonymous.
This act of vandalism is personal to Adelman. The plaza is named after his business partner and his grandfather, who is a Holocaust survivor.
"What we really need is the general public to stand with us not just in solidarity but also in action," he said.
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