Antisemitic chalk graffiti at Staten Island park draws swift official action | Shaina on the Scene

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island residents discovered anti-Semitic graffiti at Bloomingdale Park playground on April 12, prompting immediate action from local authorities and sparking a broader conversation about community education and vigilance.

A constituent who lives in City Council member Frank Morano’s district alerted his office after discovering the hate symbols while walking through the park.

The constituent, who is Jewish, sent photographs to Morano’s office expressing deep concern about the discovery.

“Two people who live in the district were just going for a walk in the park and they sent me pictures they took,’’ Morano, a Republican representing the South Shore, said during a Facebook Live interview. ”These people happen to be Jewish. They were really concerned and they’ve never seen anything like this, certainly not on Staten island.”

Upon receiving the report, Morano’s office contacted both the New York City Police Department and the Parks Department to address the situation. Parks Department workers quickly removed the graffiti.

“The first thing we did was call the Police Department to make them aware of it and then reach out to the Parks Department so that in conjunction with the Police Department’s investigation, they could remove this, so that nobody else felt intimidated or scared,” Morano said.

The swastika graffiti was drawn in chalk rather than paint or permanent materials. According to Morano, the NYPD responded quickly to remove the hate symbols.

“They were Johnny on the spot, as they say. They sprang right into action,” he noted.

While the temporary nature of the vandalism means it may not trigger a broader investigation, Morano emphasized that the incident remains serious regardless of the medium used.

“From what I understand, nothing permanent. It was even less permanent than paint. So to me, in a lot of ways, that doesn’t make it any less serious or any less worthy of talking about it,” he said.

The NYPD has assured Morano that officers will remain vigilant.

“I’ve been assured by the NYPD that they’re going to be on the lookout for this, they’re going to be very vigilant. Along with parks, to see if there’s any sort of repeated pattern either at Bloomingdale park itself or any other area parks,” Morano stated.

Beyond the immediate response, Morano used the incident to call for greater parental involvement in educating children about hate symbols and their historical significance.

The councilman, who grew up in the neighborhood and has a 4-year-old child, expressed personal concern about the incident’s impact on families.

“I’m just picturing, as I’m looking at these pictures, having to explain to him at 4 years old what a swastika is and why people get so upset by seeing it,” Morano said. “And not only should no parent have to to do that, but I really think every parent needs to explain to their child, if they’re not already doing so, why these symbols of hate strike such a chord with people.”

The councilman noted that while the perpetrators’ motives remain unknown, the incident serves as an important teaching moment.

“Let’s say it is some 13-year-old kids or even younger that were trying to get a rise out of people. It sends a message to us as parents that we need to do a better job teaching our children about why these symbols are viewed,” he explained. “We’re talking about swastikas here, why they’re viewed as so hateful and why so many people view them as a symbol of Nazism.”

Residents who observe similar incidents or other concerns can contact Morano’s office at 718-984-5151 or via email at morano@council.nyc.gov. For immediate threats or ongoing vandalism, residents are encouraged to contact the NYPD directly.