Someone or more than one person spray-painted swastikas on more than a dozen gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in Waukegan. The Lake County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information about who did this.
Around 8 a.m. on Monday, the Waukegan Police Department was called to the Am Echod Jewish Cemetery at 3050 Grand Avenue in Waukegan because someone had broken something.
Waukegan’s Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip said that when police arrived, they found a lot of broken headstones.
The Criminal Investigation Division of the Waukegan Police Department was called to the scene to investigate.
Officers found 16 big gravestones that spray-painting giant red swastikas had messed up on them, Florip said.
Officers also found 23 other gravestones with red graffiti spray-painted on them.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called this an “evil act” and said the state would do everything possible to help find the people who did it.
“The Illinois State Police are talking to city officials,” Pritzker said.
Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said the hateful images made her “deeply disturbed” and angry.
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“Hate has no place in Waukegan. When these things happen, our less fortunate neighbours are hurt, and our whole community suffers,” Taylor said.
“I hope our officers find the people who did this horrible thing quickly and hold them accountable, and I offer my full support to the people who were hurt by it,” she said.
Waukegan Public Works said they had offered to help Am Echod Cemetery get rid of the spray paint.
On Tuesday, crews were there to power wash the paint off the gravestones.
“The city stepped up to help and is working hard to stop this hatred. “Thank you to our crews who worked to fix the graves and restore the families’ faith in people,” the Waukegan Public Works Department said.
The Lake County Crime Stoppers group was looking for information about the crime.
A reward of up to $1,000 could be given to someone who provides information that leads to an arrest.
Lake County Crime Stoppers can get tips from the public at www.P3Tips.com or by phone at 847-662-2222.
Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Chicago, Ahmed Rehab, said that the group condemns “this despicable act of hatred.”
“Dishonoring the memory of the dead with a symbol that led to the senseless killing of millions of Jews not too long ago is an insult not only to Jews, living and dead but to everyone with a good conscience. “If we want this never to happen again, we can’t let our Jewish neighbours stand alone in these times,” said Rehab.
On Friday, Waukegan police said they were still looking for help to find the people who did it.
People can also call the Waukegan Police Department’s tip line at 847-360-9001 with information, in addition to Lake County Crime Stoppers.
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