This is disturbing news from our area. The cops need to get to the bottom of it right away. We don't want to be as clueless as, say, France.
A spike in anti-Semitic vandalism and other possible hate crimes across Houston in recent months has alarmed police and set the Jewish community on edge, investigators and activists said Wednesday.Posted by Alan at February 24, 2005 08:04 PMSince September, 14 such crimes have been reported in the Greater Houston area. Eight occurred in a three-week period in December, said Martin Cominsky, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. The last known incident was Dec. 30.
Police say they have never seen this many anti-Semitic crimes reported in such a short period of time. Seven of the nine incidents that happened inside Houston's city limits have already been classified as hate crimes, police say. The other two incidents are still being reviewed.
By comparison, Cominsky said that authorities last year classified a total of 14 incidents, "involving all races and religions," as hate crimes. What's more, police have no idea who's responsible — or if these "personal" attacks, as investigators describe them, are even related.
Most of the crimes involve vandalism at public places, including houses of worship and a Jewish community center. But there have also been threatening messages left on answering machines at synagogues in Houston and The Woodlands.
Police are concerned the crimes could eventually escalate to violent acts if the perpetrators aren't stopped.