"ALBANY A recent surge in anti-Israel graffiti has been met with condemnation from the city's mayor who said the hateful and violent rhetoric creates an unsafe community for both Jewish and non-Jewish residents. In a statement titled Condemnation of Antisemitic Acts in Albany, Mayor Robin Lopez said multiple instances of graffiti targeting Jewish people were plastered in and around the University Village student-family housing complex."
"Photos shared with this news organization show the phrase burn Israel down was scrawled along the facade of The Habit Burger & Grill on Monroe Street. Additional photos showed the same phrase written on a sign attached to a fence and f Israel written along a traffic pole. Exactly how many similar instances of vandalism have occurred in the small city of just more than 19,000 residents is hard to say, Lopez said."
"The mayor himself has reported nearly a dozen similar tags in the city, most of which were at University Village, which is owned by the University of California, Berkeley. The graffiti became so frequent and repetitive, that city staff was more or less put on alert mode to identify and remove, Lopez said. Lopez said in the statement to the community that more coordination seems to be required to remove vandalism on UC Berkeley property. The university has been proactive once informed, Lopez said."
A surge of anti-Israel graffiti appeared in Albany, targeting Jewish people and raising safety concerns for residents. The mayor condemned the hateful and violent rhetoric, called for justice for destruction of city property, and demanded the vandalism not be normalized. Photos showed the phrase "burn Israel down" on a restaurant facade, a fence sign, and a traffic pole. The mayor reported nearly a dozen similar tags, concentrated at University Village, owned by UC Berkeley. City staff were put on alert to identify and remove graffiti, and officials said more coordination with the university is needed. Jewish Parent Engagement Group alerted local leaders and police.
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