Ex-N.Y. Cop Arrested for Anti-Semitic Graffiti in Brooklyn

By JTA May 4, 2014

A former New York policeman was arrested for allegedly spray-painting anti-Semitic graffiti in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Michael Setiawan, 36, was arrested Sunday for the vandalism spree the previous night throughout Borough Park, New York media reported.

The anti-Semitic graffiti was spray-painted in red on a school building and on 20 private residences and cars. A surveillance camera at the school showed Setiawan spray-painting on the school’s door; hate graffiti was found there.

Setiawan was charged with criminal mischief and aggravated harassment, both as hate crimes, the local NBC television affiliate reported.

“It is unconscionable that someone would spray such hateful graffiti across our community — the crime is only more appalling that it was done on the holiest day of our week,” said Councilman David Greenfield, who represents the area, according to the New York Post.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO