The owner of Fuzzy’s Pizza in the Katy area is speaking out after Hanukkah decorations outside the restaurant were vandalized just one day after it hosted a celebration for the holiday.
The incident happened just after 9 p.m. Wednesday night. The restaurant had hosted a Hanukkah celebration one day before the vandalism.
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In surveillance footage posted to Facebook, a man wearing a gray hoodie is seen unplugging, deflating, and knocking over inflatable decorations that appeared to be characters wearing traditional Jewish religious clothing.
Meanwhile, an inflatable Santa Claus decoration on the same property was left untouched.
KPRC 2 contacted Jeff Hajjar, the owner of Fuzzy’s Pizza in Katy. He said the attack felt targeted toward Jewish people, especially because the Christmas inflatable was ignored and it happened just one day after a Hanukkah celebration.
“It was just one day ago,” Hajjar said. “The Christmas decorations were untouched, only the Hanukkah decorations were targeted.”
Hajjar said the incident is especially concerning given recent events targeting reported Hanukkah celebrations, including the attack last weekend in Bondi Beach, Australia, that killed 15 people and injured dozens more.
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“It’s honestly extremely disturbing that it’s becoming more and more common to be antisemitic and show hatred towards the Jewish people,” Hajjar said. “This wasn’t making a political statement; we were celebrating a religious holiday.”
Even in the wake of actions he says communicate oppression toward Jewish people, Hajjar said his goal is to continue spreading a message of kindness and positivity.
“We are not going to be silent, we are going to keep spreading light and keep spreading love,” he said.
Anyone with information on the person captured in the surveillance footage is asked to contact Katy Police Department. You can reach the department’s non-emergency line at 281-391-4848.