Swastikas and Anti-Israel Graffiti Deface Four Jewish School Buses in Brooklyn

November 2, 2026
Swastikas and Anti-Israel Graffiti Deface Four Jewish School Buses in Brooklyn
  • People with information can contact Crime Stoppers by phone, online or through @NYPDTips; all tips are confidential.

  • According to the New York Post, the vandalism came less than a month after one of the affected yeshivas received a bomb threat by phone.

  • NYPD figures cited in the article show hate crimes rose nearly 13% in New York City during the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, with antisemitic incidents accounting for 52.9% of confirmed cases through Sept. 30 despite Jewish New Yorkers making up about 10% of the city’s population.

  • Four parked Jewish school buses near Bedford Avenue and Williamsburg Street in Brooklyn’s heavily Orthodox Williamsburg neighborhood were spray-painted on Nov. 2 with swastikas and slogans including “F–k Israel,” “Free Palestine” and “America First.”

  • The graffiti was painted over or above Hebrew lettering identifying the bus operators, and at least one swastika was found on a bus’s front hood.

  • The buses served the Satmar, Tiferet Yisrael and Klausenburg Hasidic communities, according to local news site Williamsburg 365.

  • The NYPD classified the vandalism as a hate crime, and its Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating; no arrests had been made by the time of publication.

  • Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration said it was in contact with the NYPD and community leaders, while Mamdani condemned the vandalism and pledged to confront antisemitism and hold those responsible accountable.

  • Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, also condemned the vandalism and called for accountability.

  • New York State Attorney General Letitia James called the act “despicable” and said antisemitism and hate have no place in New York.

  • Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Brooklyn Council Member Lincoln Restler condemned the attack and said they were working with police to identify those responsible.

Summary based on 3 sources


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