The antisemitic grafitti at an Applebee’s in a suburb of Daytona, Ohio. (Courtesy of April Dunn)

(JTA) — An Applebee’s in Miamisburg, Ohio was closed Saturday after employees discovered the building had been defaced with antisemitic graffiti including a swastika and the messages “F— Jews” and “Jews work here.”

“We’ve seen the statistics, an 893-percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the United States over the past decade according to the ADL,” Cathy Gardner, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, told the Dayton Jewish Observer, citing a recent audit of antisemitic incidents by the Anti-Defamation League.

She added that the vandalism came shortly before her federation’s ceremony marking Yom Hashoah, the Jewish Holocaust memorial day that was observed last week.

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“To see it here, the day before our Yom Hashoah remembrance, is devastating,” she said. “It exhibits the Jew hatred that we know exists, and that was at the root of the horrors of the Holocaust.”

Miamisburg is a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. In 2023, Dayton became embroiled in another antisemitic incident when a school board member gave a Nazi salute and said “Sieg heil” at a public meeting.

Images of the weekend’s graffiti were shared in a private local Facebook group where a user posted the vandalism and wrote, “This is absolutely disgusting. There is no reason for this type of hate and vitriol. An absolutely disgusting display supporting hate and Nazi ideology,” according to the Dayton Jewish Observer.

Police responded to reports of the graffiti early Saturday morning, and the restaurant was closed for the remainder of the day. The graffiti was power-washed off its windows and walls by the afternoon, and the restaurant reopened Sunday morning.

A police report obtained by the Dayton Daily News said that the manager told police he was “unaware of any issues with other employees or customers” and didn’t know of any potential suspects.

Cameras outside of the establishment were unable to get a clear view of the perpetrators, according to the report. The investigation into the vandalism is ongoing and no arrests have been made, but there were no other recent similar incidents of antisemitic graffiti reported in the city, according to police.

“We are living in volatile and difficult times, and I cannot be more disappointed by this act.  Whether it was driven by hatred, racism, or a thoughtless prank, there is no justification.  Applebee’s has been a longstanding fixture in our community, providing a gathering place for  countless families and friends over the decades. This behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect our diverse, accepting community,” said Miamisburg City Mayor Michelle Collins in a statement.

John Peyton, CEO of the restaurant’s parent company Dine Brands, and interim president of Applebee’s, condemned the incident.

“We are disgusted by, and condemn, the vandalism that occurred at the Miamisburg Applebee’s,” he told the Dayton Daily News. “Guest and team member safety will always be our top priority and there is no place for antisemitic – or any form of – hate speech in our neighborhoods.”

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