Brookline Police Issue Warrant In Connection With Hate Crime

BROOKLINE, MA — Thanks to the help from the public, the Brookline Police Department said they believe they now know the identity of the person caught on film at the time anti-Semitic graffiti and a swastika were scrawled on the door of Jewish Chabad Center of Brookline on Harvard Street.

"The Brookline Police Department would like to thank the public as well as the mainstream media for their assistance in sharing our social media posts and press releases regarding the hate crime the occurred in our Town," a spokesperson from the department said in a release.

Police said a warrant for the man's arrest was issued on Tuesday.

Monday, the Anti-Defamation League of New England announced it was offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the identification and prosecution of the person responsible.

"This antisemitic act represents a direct threat to the Jewish community and is a reminder that hate never rests, even in a pandemic," said ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan. "We are grateful to Brookline Police who remain on the front lines, sacrificing themselves to keep us safe."

On Sunday around 1:40 a.m. video captured the image of a man wearing dark clothing, a dark knit hat and dark sunglasses and backpack and smoking a cigarette walk up to the Chabad Center of Brookline on Harvard Street.

You can see him standing in front of the door for a few seconds, then he steps back, puts a cap on a pen and then tosses it to the ground. He then looks at the door for a moment before walking away.

Police said the door was marked with anti-Semitic graffiti, written in Russian.

Previously: Hate Crime In Brookline: Swastika Found On Chabad Center Door