The storefront of New York City's iconic 2nd Ave Deli was vandalized with antisemitic content on Wednesday, after the owner showed support for Israel, according to local sources.
The shop was covered in swastikas and hate speech, leaving owner Jeremy Lebewohl to scrub graffiti off of the Upper East Side institution shortly after learning about the destruction of his property.
Lebewohl told The New York Post that even more swastikas were found nearby.
Harsh reality
“I can’t believe there’s more swastikas across the street. I just hope the city realizes that when you hear people doing something wrong, saying something wrong, people can’t be quiet,” Lebewohl told US media.
“It’s horrible that anybody feels like it’s OK to say that they hate anybody at any time,” he added.
The graffiti came shortly after the social media accounts for the 2nd Avenue Deli posted pro-Israel content. Nearby, posters advertising the kidnapped were graffitied as well.