A dozen and a half antisemitic stickers were used to deface the Coolidge Corner neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts, launching a police investigation into the matter, according to media reports.
The stickers, which showed swastikas over the Israeli flag, were placed on light poles, street signs and a private business, according to Brookline police.
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The stickers included text that read "Stop funding Israeli terrorism."
In all, investigators discovered 16 stickers on public property and two on private property. They have all been removed.
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In a statement posted on the town website, chair of the Brookline Select Board Bernard Greene said the stickers were posted in an area with a significant Jewish and Israeli population and that he was dismayed to see their community "targeted by hate."
"Brookline has no toleration for and is united against hate. We are a community dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion and will join together to show we are strong and will support those who are targeted by these hateful symbols. We understand that hate is indivisible and those that spew hate against our Jewish residents and businesses will turn their hatred against other members of our community if given the opportunity," the statement read in part.
Police at Harvard University and in Cambridge have also opened an investigation last week into the stickers found in that area.
This comes at a time of heightened tensions due to the war in Gaza and increasing conflict in the region. The ADL reports that there has been a significant uptick in reports of antisemitism across the country, including a 32% increase in Massachusetts in 2023 compared to the year before.
