Montauk cleans up, rallies after swastikas, antisemitic graffiti found in 2 locations

East Hampton police are investigating after large swastikas and antisemitic graffiti were discovered at Ditch Plains Beach and the downtown business district in Montauk, sparking condemnation from town officials and residents who cleaned it up and later rallied in the village green. 

East Hampton Town Police Capt. Chris Anderson said the roughly half-dozen swastikas and slurs were reported at Ditch Plains Beach and the downtown business district around midmorning and investigators believe they were spray-painted overnight Sunday into Monday. He said many of the swastikas were 2 or 3 feet tall.

"With the current climate and the state of affairs in the world it is troubling that an individual — or individuals — would act out in such a manner," Anderson said.

He said investigators with the Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit had been notified of the graffiti incidents. East Hampton detectives, who are investigating the graffiti as a hate crime, were reviewing area surveillance footage to help locate suspects.

Police said graffiti was found at a comfort station in the town parking lot at Ditch Plains Beach, as well as two nearby food concession trailers and a power meter box. More graffiti, sprayed in black paint, was found on fence and picnic tables in the common parking lot behind two restaurants on Montauk Highway — Naturally Good Foods & Cafe and Sausages Pizza and Pastabilities. More graffiti was found on one of the restaurant doors.

"One of the slogans we found we think translates to ‘Free Palestine,’ ” Anderson said of the graffiti. "I say probably, because that is what the interpretation is going to be — since the spelling is not great … Clearly, we're hoping that any member of the public who has information will come forward."

Rabbi Josh Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons told dozens in attendance at Monday's rally on the village green that he ordinarily tries to not speak from a place of emotion, but that he's been "terrified" since the outbreak of war in Israel after Hamas militants launched surprise attacks Oct. 7.

"This is shocking but it is not at all surprising," Franklin told the crowd. "Because Jews have been experiencing violence and hate towards them around our country and around the world right now for weeks since Oct. 7."

Local, state and national law enforcement agencies have been on high alert for hate crimes and incidents since Oct. 7. The number of hate incidents reported with the Suffolk police in the first nine months of 2023 exceeded the total number from all of 2022, according to a department online database. There were 78 hate incidents reported through Sept. 30, a 50% increase from the 52 reports filed in the first nine months of 2022.

The number of antisemitic incidents in Suffolk rose from eight in the first nine months of 2022 to 27 this year. Two of those 27 incidents have been deemed criminal, according to the database.

Suffolk’s database is updated quarterly and does not include incidents since the start of the war or data from the five East End police departments. Nassau police said they could not provide similar data.

The Anti-Defamation League, which maintains a national database of antisemitic incidents, reported last week that incidents involving anti-Jewish hate had increased 388% since the Oct. 7 attack. Of the 312 antisemitic incidents reported nationwide between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23, 190 were directly linked to the war, the ADL reported.

East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc condemned the Montauk incidents as “evil” and “disgusting” and said it was not reflective of the “close-knit, caring, and inclusive” town.

“Civil society requires us to treat each other with respect, tolerance, and dignity, especially now as tensions are increasing due to conflicts in other parts of the world," the supervisor said.

Katherine King, a member of the Anti-Bias Task Force of East Hampton and a Montauk homeowner since 1997, said she helped organize Monday's rally because she was "just feeling strongly that this type of intimidation cannot go on without a response," King said. "That it's not OK to intimidate people, no matter where they're from, no matter what their age, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status. No matter who they are."

East Hampton police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 631-537-7575.

With Gordon M. Grant