B’nai Zion Cemetery Vandalized
The B’nai Zion Cemetery was vandalized late Saturday Evening.
Two headstones, a walkway and an outside wall were spray painted with Anti-Semitic messages. Swastika signs, a picture of Hitler with his named spelled out, and other Nazi regime graffiti was discovered by Edward Dubouitz, who is the Vice President of the congregation of B’nai Zion, on Sunday morning. Authorities were contacted immediately, with the El Paso Police Department and the FBI responding. The FBI is investigating this as a hate crime.
At this point police are still looking for suspects.
City Council Representative Peter Svarzbein states that this type of crime is disgusting, and not something that is representative of this community.
Retired Congregation Director Sam Belford stated that the last time this happened was 10-15 years ago.
The cost to clean the graffiti will total less than $1,000, but if the families do decide to replace the headstones that cost could rise to over $5000.