Minneapolis police are piecing together and sharing with the public details about who they believe is responsible for antisemitic graffiti that was spray-painted on Temple Israel, the state’s largest synagogue, one day after the second anniversary of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel.
In a social media posting late Tuesday in connection with the Oct. 8 vandalism of Temple Israel, the city’s oldest synagogue, police labeled the vandalism as “a bias crime” and released descriptions of the suspects, based on exterior video surveillance. They said both were riding bicycles, and wearing dark hoodies, blue surgical gloves and masks.
The were spotted on video near Fremont Avenue S. and W. 24th Street, at Humboldt Avenue S. and W. 25th Street, and at Irving Avenue S. and W. 26th Street, police said.
In concert with releasing the specific locations, police are asking residents in those areas to check their security cameras between 2 and 3 a.m. “for any relevant footage” and provide tips to them at policetips@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-5845.
Mayor Jacob Frey, who is Jewish and a Temple Israel member, posted on X photos of the graffiti of threatening language about Zionism.
Another photo showed “Al-Aqsa Flood” — Hamas’ name for the Oct. 7 attack. The message included red upside-down triangles. Legislators in Berlin banned the symbol, citing its use by Hamas in propaganda videos.
In the wake of the vandalism at Temple Israel, which came during the Jewish weeklong holiday of Sukkot, Minneapolis police increased patrols around all houses of worship in the city.
Earlier in the fall, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also voiced concerns over two separate incidents at the Al Hikma Mosque in Minneapolis. Police said they made an arrest in that case.
