Man Arrested For Allegedly Writing 'Nazi Pigs Die' On FDNY Property

Police arrested and charged the man suspected of defacing FDNY property in Washington Heights with swastikas and the words "Nazi Pigs," after he allegedly struck twice more this weekend. Fire marshals apprehended Jem R. Ibrahimov, 42, around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Engine 93/Ladder 45/Battalion 13 firehouse on West 181st Street.

Around 7:30 a.m. on Friday, police responded to a report of "criminal mischief" at 501 West 172 Street, FDNY EMS station 13. There, someone had marked four ambulances with large swastikas. About half an hour later, fire marshals caught Ibrahimov "in the act" at West 181st Street. The incidents mirrored acts of vandalism committed on Aug. 26th, when Ibrahimov allegedly scrawled "Nazi Pigs Die" in black marker on the same firehouse door where he was arrested. He also allegedly drew swastikas on four FDNY ambulances and an FDNY communications van parked outside the West 172nd Street EMS station.

It's unclear what, exactly, the nature of Ibrahimov's grievance with the FDNY is, and why he keeps targeting these two stations. Police have not disclosed a motive, but they have charged him with multiple counts of criminal mischief as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, making graffiti, and possession of a graffiti instrument.

"I commend our Fire Marshals for their great investigative work to apprehend an individual who defaced FDNY facilities and apparatus with hateful symbols and language," Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said in a statement, posted to Facebook. "Thank you as well to the members of the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force for their investigation and collaboration with our Fire Marshals."