As of Wednesday afternoon, a fundraiser titled “Muslim Americans Help Repair Anti-Semitic Vandalism of Historic Jewish Cemetery,” had raised over $80,000, far surpassing their original goal of $20,000, which they accomplished in just three hours.
“On the heels of bomb threats and hate crimes against dozens of Jewish community center's across the United States, a historical Jewish cemetery was vandalized this past weekend when over 170 headstones were damaged,” the fundraiser details. “Muslim Americans stand in solidarity with the Jewish-American community to condemn this horrific act of desecration against the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery. We also extend our deepest condolences to all those who have been affected and to the Jewish community at large.”
The police have not named any suspects in the vandalism, nor have they labeled it a hate crime. They do believe that there was coordination between multiple individuals to carry it out, however.
— Chris Regnier (@chrisregniertv) February 21, 2017
The news of the vandalism of the cemetery came on the same day that 11 bomb threats were called into Jewish centers across the United States. Beginning January 1 and through Monday morning, there have been 69 bomb threats on 54 Jewish community centers in the United States and Canada.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed the wave of anti-Semitism, saying that "the anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."
— FOX2now (@FOX2now) February 22, 2017
Vice President Mike Pence is in Missouri, and visited the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery on Wednesday.
