Late in the evening on Thursday, June 1, a Queens Borough Safety Patrol-Shmira member noticed swastikas and extremely hurtful wording praising Nazis drawn on a New York City traffic signal box. The New York Police Department's 112th precinct was immediately informed, and a swift response included an onsite visit from their Executive Officer.
Once crime scene investigators collected evidence, Shmira removed the hateful imagery. Forest Hills is an area that is home to many Holocaust survivors, making the incident even more insidious. The incident is currently under investigation by the police department's Hate Crimes Task Force; Inspector Richie Taylor, Commanding Officer of NYPD’s Community Affairs, has been apprised of the situation. Anyone with knowledge of hate crimes of any caliber is encouraged to contact Shmira's emergency hotline at 718-329-4444.
By Shabsie Saphirstein, Coordinator of Community Outreach, Queens Shmira