The Michigan vacation home of U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel was defaced last weekend with antisemitic language, including the word “NAZIS” being spray-painted on the fence.
Reports said that police were notified of the incident at Mr. Emanuel’s Union Pier home at about 9:50 p.m. Friday.
Mr. Emanuel is a well-known Jewish politician who has previously served as mayor of Chicago and as chief of staff for former President Barack Obama.
In a statement, he said his family was “very proud of how our friends, neighbors and the community have rallied to our support and in a singular voice in condemning hatred and bigotry.”
He also thanked local law enforcement for how they handled the case. The family was not at the Michigan vacation home at the time of the graffiti incident.
“It’s despicable. It’s disgusting,” former White House official and political commentator David Axelrod wrote on X. “It’s just one more flashing red light. Stop the hate. Stop the antisemitism and Islamophobia. We know where it leads.”
Mr. Axelrod worked with Mr. Emanuel under the Obama administration.
This incident comes as Americans have reported rising levels of antisemitism and Islamophobia since terrorist group Hamas launched its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, causing Israel to retaliate.
“Unfortunately, it’s not that surprising,” Anti-Defamation League Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg said to ABC Chicago. “The brazenness with which people are expressing their antisemitism, and their hate has gone up dramatically.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in October that antisemitism in the U.S. is reaching “historic levels.”
He said Jewish Americans are the targets of roughly 60% of religious-based hate crimes, even though they only represent about 2.4% of the U.S. population.
“This is not a time for panic, but it is a time for vigilance,” Mr. Wray said to the Senate panel. “We shouldn’t stop conducting our daily lives - going to schools, houses of worship, and so forth, but we should be vigilant.”
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.