Alliance businesses vandalized with anti-Semetic imagery

By: Camryn Justice

 
ALLIANCE, Ohio — Multiple buildings and businesses in Alliance were vandalized with anti-Semitic images, including the YWCA of Alliance.

An anti-Semetic image was spray painted on the building that has stood on East Market Street for nearly 100 years.

"We, at the YWCA of Alliance are saddened and outraged that someone or a group of individuals used our building at 239 E. Market Street to propel hate and an anti-semetic message," the organization wrote on Facebook Tuesday. "This message was in form of vandalism spray painting on our historical building which has stood as a beacon of hope, love, and inclusion in the Alliance Community for 95 years."

The YWCA of Alliance said that their building was not the only one hit with the hate symbols and imagery and said many other locations throughout the Downtown Alliance area were targeted in the vandalism.

Sgt. Aaron Perkins, of the Alliance Police Department, said graffiti was discovered in four different areas— the YMCA, two masonic lodges and on the city-owned Viaduct.

Through surveillance video, police said two males carried out the vandalism. Police are working to identify the two unknown males and are asking for the public's help.

While the Alliance Police Department investigates, volunteers showed up at the YWCA to help clean the images off the building.

Perkins said the vandalism is an isolated incident for the city and they are looking into the motivation behind the tags.

Courtesy of News 5 Cleveland