Bloomington police are investigating four different reports of swastikas made in the last two weeks. The most recent report to BPD was made Monday of swastika on the side of a resident’s garage on East First Street.
The person who made the report said she found the graffiti Saturday.
Rabbi Sue Silberberg is the executive director at the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center at IU. She says while IU has historically been a welcoming community, acts of anti-Semitism have been on the rise.
“For most Jews when they see a swastika, it makes us feel unsafe. It reminds us of the Holocaust. For me, I feel sick in the pit of my stomach when I see it.”
She added that the community at-large needs to speak against anti-Semitism and hate of all kinds.
“When these kinds of things happen, we have to stand up and fight against them because we don’t want a new normal to be created.”
The Anti-Defamation League recognizes the swastika as a hate symbol.
The three other reports are from Nov. 30 on North College Avenue, Dec. 4 on East Sixth Street, and Dec. 5 on East Tenth Street.
BPD is asking people in the area of the most recent report whether any surveillance footage is available.
