Fresno police are investigating a possible hate crime at Temple Beth Israel, a Jewish temple in north Fresno, after vandals papered the religious facility with fliers.
Officers apprehended two men around 4:15 p.m. when they began to post fliers on the campus of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church nearly a mile south of the Jewish temple.
Driving the news: The suspects’ van, which was spray-painted to read “Repent or Perish” was seized at the church. The van had New York license plates.
- It is uncertain whether any vandalism beyond the fliers occurred at Temple Beth Israel.
- Fresno police are examining all possible violations of the law and have not definitively classified the incident as a hate crime.
- The fliers contained a letter targeting the religious institutions for “rejecting the word of God.”
Not the first time: Last October, Temple Beth Israel was vandalized when one of its windows was shattered by a rock. This incident occurred shortly after Israel was attacked by Hamas, resulting in numerous casualties, including American citizens.
