Framingham menorah vandalism on Center Common is being investigated as a hate crime
FRAMINGHAM — Vandalism to the menorah on the Centre Common is being investigated as a "potential hate crime," police said Monday.
The vandalism to the large menorah, as well as the theft of a sign in support of Israel, were discovered Sunday morning, police said in a press release.
"Investigators are actively working this case and are investigating this as a potential hate crime," police said in a statement.
According to the press release, the incident was caught on a nearby video camera; it occurred at 6:51 p.m. Saturday. The video shows an unidentified person knocking over the menorah.
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The menorah, which was first lit on Dec. 7 to celebrate Hanukkah, was scratched in the fall and two of its light bulbs were damaged, police said in the press release.
A sign reading, "We Stand with Israel," was also missing and believed to have been stolen.
Mayor 'saddened' by vandalism
In a statement, Mayor Charlie Sisistsky and his wife, Robin Kaye, urged residents to "respect" all religions.
"We are saddened that the menorah was knocked over on Saturday evening," Sisitsky and Kaye said in their statement. "The lighting of the Hanukkah menorah on the Framingham Centre Common has been a long-standing tradition in our community and this is the first instance in my memory that it has ever been targeted. We won't know if it was an act of vandalism or the result of a hate crime until the police conclude their investigation. We urge everyone to respect the sanctity of all religious symbols and hope that during this holiday season we make an extra effort to appreciate everyone's religious beliefs."
There have been several incidents of antisemetic vandalism in MetroWest over the past few months, particularly after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Hamas terrorist group.
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Several incidents of antisemitic vandalism this year
In November, Wayland police said there were two swastikas found spray-painted on Rice Road. There were also reports of Wayland Middle School students making the Nazi salute and there were anti-Israel signs posted along major roads.
Also in November, someone etched a swastika into dirt at the softball field behind the Quinn Middle School in Hudson, police said. A man was later arrested and charged after Hudson police said he was allegedly putting a second swastika at the field.
Back in April, a swastika was found spray-painted on a walkway at the West Natick MBTA station, as well as on a construction trailer on Walnut Street in Framingham.
After the Wayland incident last month, Danny Burkeman, senior rabbi at Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, said there has been a worrying increase in antisemitic incidents not just locally, but nationally.
"Incidents of antisemitic hate have been rising across the country and Wayland is not immune to that," said Burkeman in an interview at the time. "Unfortunately, we're seeing these types of incidents taking place in a lot of local towns. It's disconcerting, scary and unsettling for the members of the Jewish community."
Jesse Edwards, Framingham's diversity, equity & inclusion officer, said incidents such as what happened with the menorah prove there's still work to do.
“As a community, we must not condone vandalism motivated by hate, ignorance, or fear," Edwards said in a statement. "this weekend's unfortunate events prove that we have more work to do."
Police ask if anyone has information about the incident to call Detective Chris Teel at 508-532-6214. Anonymous tips can be made by calling 508-532-5900 or by visiting https://www.framinghamma.gov/3345/Anonymous-Crime-Tips.
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham Police investigating menorah vandalism on common
