In a joint statement issued on Monday, Pittsburgh city officials condemned the recent vandalism at Jewish institutions in Squirrel Hill. Mayor Ed Gainey, along with City Council members and City Controller Rachael Heisler, characterized the acts targeting Jewish neighbors, which included anti-Semitic graffiti on Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the offices of the Jewish Federation, as an unacceptable expression of hatred. "Acts of Jewish hate, including vandalism and ethnic intimidation, must stop," the statement declared, according to information from the City of Pittsburgh press release.
As the city leaders made it clear, such actions are deplorable and are seen as a form of anti-Semitism and political violence. With the intent to harm, they strive to make people feel unsafe in their neighborhoods and places of work and worship, and this must not be tolerated in the community. According to the press release, "Targeting Pittsburgh’s Jewish residents – damaging property with the intent to make people feel unsafe in their neighborhoods and places of work and worship – is a deplorable act of anti-Semitism and political violence."
Mayor Gainey and city representatives are committed to the safety of all Pittsburgh residents. The statement announced that the Bureau of Police will make full use of its resources to bring those responsible for the vandalism accountable. Pittsburgh, priding itself on being a city that upholds residents' safety, will continue to maintain increased patrols in and around Jewish communities and institutions. "Our top priority is to keep residents safe," Mayor Gainey articulated in the shared bulletin.
Reaffirming their stance, the city officials concluded that there was no place for hate and intimidation against the Jews or any other community in Pittsburgh. The City stands firm in its resolve to support, protect, and ensure the well-being of all its residents, as per the collective statement by Mayor Gainey and the other city leaders.
