Hate Crimes Target Houston's Jewish Community
$5,000 Reward Offered For Info That Leads To Arrest, Conviction
POSTED: Wednesday, February 23, 2005
UPDATED: 1:46 pm CST February 23,
2005
HOUSTON -- More than 10 acts of hate performed upon Houston's Jewish community have the Anti-Defamation League and authorities offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest, Local 2 reported Tuesday.
At least 14 anti-Semitic incidents of graffiti, vandalism and telephone threats have been committed near and at various places of worship in the Houston area since September.
Slideshow: View Images Of Graffiti, Vandalism"We believe these defacements and threatening messages are hate crimes. Hate crimes are not ordinary crimes. They have a chilling effect on the community and they create fear, not only among the victims of the particular institution, but they have a ripple effect that pervades the entire community," Anti-Defamation League spokesman Martin Cominski said.Juden Raus, a phrase used during the Holocaust that means Jews Out, and swastikas have been spray-painted on several pieces of public property.Some of the tagged items include a cement bus stop bench on West Bellfort at South Post Oak and the sidewalk at Hillcroft and South Braeswood.Police said they do not know who is responsible but fear the tagged phrase could turn into action."The speculation is that it is a small group or maybe even one person. But, there is always a possibility that it is escalating," Houston Police Department Hate Crimes Lt. Milton Jones said.Officials told Local 2 if a hate crime occurs in a public place, the person or people responsible face a misdemeanor charge. However, if the incident occurs on private property, the crime becomes a felony.A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to arrests and convictions in this case.Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.
Copyright 2006 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Police Fear Spray-Painted Phrase Could Turn To ActionSlideshow: View Images Of Graffiti, Vandalism"We believe these defacements and threatening messages are hate crimes. Hate crimes are not ordinary crimes. They have a chilling effect on the community and they create fear, not only among the victims of the particular institution, but they have a ripple effect that pervades the entire community," Anti-Defamation League spokesman Martin Cominski said.Juden Raus, a phrase used during the Holocaust that means Jews Out, and swastikas have been spray-painted on several pieces of public property.Some of the tagged items include a cement bus stop bench on West Bellfort at South Post Oak and the sidewalk at Hillcroft and South Braeswood.Police said they do not know who is responsible but fear the tagged phrase could turn into action."The speculation is that it is a small group or maybe even one person. But, there is always a possibility that it is escalating," Houston Police Department Hate Crimes Lt. Milton Jones said.Officials told Local 2 if a hate crime occurs in a public place, the person or people responsible face a misdemeanor charge. However, if the incident occurs on private property, the crime becomes a felony.A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to arrests and convictions in this case.Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.Copyright 2006 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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