Philadelphia Jewish museum vandalized with antisemitic graffiti, third attack in nearly a year

The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti on Thursday, marking the third attack in nearly a year. A man wrote an antisemitic message on the "OY/YO" sculpture outside the museum at approximately 8:15 p.m. Police have surveillance footage of the suspect, who boarded a train after the incident, but have not yet apprehended him. Pennsylvania State Representative Tarik Khan, who reported the vandalism, stated, "it just turned my stomach." Andrew Goretsky of the Anti-Defamation League noted a rise in antisemitic vandalism in Pennsylvania, from 29 incidents in 2022 to 80 in 2023, and affirmed, "As a Jewish community, we will not hide our identity." The museum was also targeted twice in August of last year with red paint, for which a suspect was later charged.