Mount Kisco Synagogue Defaced With Swastikas
Westchester County police have launched an investigation into two swastikas on an exterior wall of Bet Torah synagogue in Mount Kisco last weekend.
Synagogue staff discovered the two 2-foot-by-2-foot swastikas on Sunday morning on the wall of the synagogue’s nursery school that is adjacent to the playground on the grounds at 60 Smith Ave, said county police spokesman Kieran O’Leary. The incident is being investigated as a bias crime, he said.
It appears the crime occurred sometime late Saturday night or during the early morning hours on Sunday. The area is accessible by foot or by vehicle.
O’Leary said detectives from the department’s General Investigations Unit have canvassed the neighborhood since Sunday. However, no one in the area reported hearing or seeing suspicious individuals or activity in or around Bet Torah in the hours when the incident likely occurred.
The Westchester Human Rights Commission has reached out to the synagogue to express its concern about the incident and offer any assistance.
Anyone with information on this incident can contact the county police confidentially or anonymously at the department’s tip line 1-800-898-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be sent electronically to tips@wccops.com.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/