More antisemitic hate seen in L.A. after Kanye West’s remarks
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This is an updated version of an article that first appeared in USA TODAY.
LOS ANGELES — After Kanye West’s Saturday night remarks in which he referred to Jews as “superpredators” and said he might have killed the mother and baby of a friend, swastikas are again being uncovered in Hollywood.
According to Los Angeles police, swastikas have turned up at businesses and homes in the city. One business posted on a wall of a strip mall in Hollywood and another posted on a wall across from it displayed a “Proud Boys” pin. In other parts of the city, swastikas have been found on cars and businesses.
The incidents started after West’s remarks and have continued into the early hours of Sunday. The backlash against West was so fierce that the rapper’s own Twitter account issued a statement Saturday night in which he said, “I understand people have different views and opinions… [but] I’ve been the biggest supporter of @POTUS and am not surprised at all that some are quick to take offense and run with it.”
That’s when a number of other Los Angeles businesses and homes began to be vandalized. The Los Angeles Police Department released a police report which contained swastikas found that morning in several places around the city including an office of the city’s Department of Public Parks and Recreation.
The report’s statement did not name the people who vandalized the property.
“The vandalism to the Department of Public Parks and Recreation office building appeared to be a deliberate act to deface and deface,” Lt. Chris Ramirez said. “The vandalism was done in the middle of the night and in our best judgment no one was there at the time of the incident.”
Ramirez said the vandalism appeared to be committed by two teenagers. Police are currently searching for the two men. Two police officers were also targeted and attacked overnight with swastikas during the investigation.
“There was no racial hatred on the part of the two individuals,” Ramirez said. “The vandalism happened after the officers were seen with their hoodies up. The vandalism was done on the hoodies, on the officer’s clothes.
“I wouldn’t characterize it as racially motivated,” he
