Man arrested for drawing antisemitic artwork outside of New York synagogue
The man was arrested on charges of antisemitic aggravated harassment, according to police officials.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A man from New York was arrested after drawing a swastika in the snow outside a synagogue, afterwards returning to draw other antisemitic symbols.Manuel Barrera, 50, was detained by officers after returning to carry out the second antisemitic act on the Emanu-El temple in New York's Upper East Side, according to NBC News.Barrera was arrested on charges of antisemitic aggravated harassment, according to police officials.The NYPD Hate Crimes unit's official twitter account release a video of the man caught within the act. Barrera appears to be walking away from the front door of the synagogue for some unknown reason later to bend down to draw a swastika in the snow beside the door, before walking away in his triumph, heading north on 5th Ave.
Barrera returned to the synagogue last Thursday to improve on his previous artwork, drawing this time a pentagram and the number "666" next to yet another swastika - in chalk this time, as the snow had melted.Barrera's acts were made known to NYPD officials via Emanu-El staff.According to NBC, Emanu-El was first established in 1845. It was later moved to 5th Ave. in 1927. During that time it was the largest synagogue in the world, fitting more inside than St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown.Zachary Keyser contributed to this report.