NYPD Hate Crime Unit Investigating Anti-Semitic Vandalism Of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Subway Poster
March 13, 2019, 4:02 p.m.
The NYPD Hate Crime Unit is investigating anti-Semitic graffiti that was scrawled on a poster of Ruth Bader Ginsburg inside a Brooklyn subway station this week.
The defaced poster
The NYPD Hate Crime Unit is investigating anti-Semitic graffiti that was scrawled on a poster of Ruth Bader Ginsburg inside a Brooklyn subway station this week.
The graffiti was spotted at the Nassau Avenue subway station in Greenpoint on Tuesday. Local Justine Souchack posted about it on Next Door, writing: "Hey all, I hate to post about this especially since there's been so much of this lately, but I came across this on a subway ad this morning," she said. "An MTA worker washed it up but is there somewhere I could report this? It breaks my heart to see so much hate crime like this especially in a neighborhood as great as Greenpoint."
@ABC7NY @CBSNewYork @NY1 @BuzzFeedNews @nytimes @wpix This desecration of the RBG's face with anti-Semitic graffiti found in the NYC Subway system - the city of acceptance and diversity, supposedly.
— Chevi Friedman (@Chevi_F) March 13, 2019
someone wrote "die jew bitch" with a swastika over a Ruth Bader Ginsburg ad @ NYC subway https://t.co/Vb97UTLpEW
— Sara Pearl (@skenigsberg) March 13, 2019
An MTA spokesperson told Gothamist, "We have zero tolerance for hate and violence and this is a horrendous example that has no place anywhere. Immediately upon learning of this Tuesday afternoon we worked with NYPD and removed it the same day. We’re cooperating fully with the NYPD and other authorities—including sharing any available surveillance video—to assist them with their investigation."
They were criticized on Twitter for their initial reaction, and added an update around noon on Wednesday to show they were taking the incident seriously:
This is the city's response to someone writing "DIE JEW BITCH" over a photo of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. @NYCMayor any thoughts? https://t.co/8FDPvPf9qS
— marisa kabas (@MarisaKabas) March 13, 2019
Following up with an update: that offensive imagery was reported yesterday, and our crews removed it immediately after NYPD had collected evidence for its investigation. Again, we regret that our customers were exposed to this hate speech, and thank you for notifying us. ^JLP pic.twitter.com/KlZkERBD6k
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) March 13, 2019
The Hate Crime Task Force said in a statement that they are "currently on scene investigating ANTI-SEMITIC vandalism at the Nassau Ave station on the G line. Thank you to all community members for alerting the NYPD." Police added, "There is no room for hate in NYC."
A spokesperson for Gov. Cuomo's office said in a statement, "For the second week in a row, a symbol of hate was discovered on a New York City subway platform. We will not stand by and allow hateful and discriminatory vandalism in New York. I have directed the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to provide the NYPD with any resources needed to assist in the investigation."
This incident comes a week after a straphanger spotted a disturbing chalk drawing of a noose at Ft. Hamilton subway station in Windsor Terrace/Kensington area. Hate crimes and hateful imagery like this have been on the rise around NYC in the last two years—that includes a dramatic surge in the amount of swastikas incidents, which skyrocketed 76 percent from 2016 to 2018.
