A site in Boise, Idaho, will be converted into a human rights mural, Boise Director of Parks and Recreation Doug Holloway said on Saturday. Several instances of antisemitic messaging being spray-painted onto walls, among other antisemitic incidents, have been reported since late 2021.
The mural is scheduled to be completed by September 2022 in a location adjacent to the Anne Frank Memorial in Idaho’s capital Boise – a site that was vandalized in 2017 and again in 2020.
In November and December, Boise police reported several incidents of antisemitic graffiti, as well as antisemitic flyers spread through one neighborhood. No arrests were made in connection with any of the incidents.
“Any time you see antisemitic or racially related slurs that pop up anywhere, they have a tendency to pop up in parks.”
Doug Holloway
“Any time you see antisemitic or racially related slurs that pop up anywhere, they have a tendency to pop up a lot of times in locations in parks,” said Holloway. “It is pretty infrequent but when it does pop up, it is very disturbing and is not the experience we want our citizens... or visitors to see in Boise.”
The city will select three or four artists out of a list of 35 to commission the mural. The project has a $35,000 budget, Holloway said.
Antisemitism on the rise
The announcement comes as antisemitic incidents continue to rise in the United States. An American Jewish Committee report released in late 2021 found that 82% of American Jews believe antisemitism has increased over the past five years.