John Fetterman denounces vandalism at his wife's Free Store in Pennsylvania

Benjamin Kail, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Apr 3, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman said Thursday that vandals overnight defaced the Braddock Free Store started in 2012 by his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman.

Mr. Fetterman — a Democrat who has risen as one of the staunchest pro-Israel voices on Capitol Hill since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the terrorist organization Hamas — posted a picture on X that appeared to show a banner or sign at the store reading in part, "Genocide John" and "Genocide Gisele."

"I'm used to the vandalism at our home or my office," the Pennsylvania Democrat wrote, noting it's been occurring since after the Hamas attack. "But Gisele and volunteers distribute food, clothing and formula at no cost to our community — and they shouldn't have to put up with this."

The targeting of the Fetterman-tied store comes as the senator has faced progressive protests at his offices and in Pittsburgh, with some targeting his support for Israel amid the Jewish state's continued attacks on Gaza. One protester in Oakland on Saturday held a cardboard cutout of Mr. Fetterman that demonized the senator as a "war criminal" and called for an arms embargo.

Braddock Borough Manager Lou Ransom Jr. told the Post-Gazette a passerby discovered the vandalism a little after 7 a.m. Thursday and alerted police.

He described it as a sign that was left — no spray paint — and said it was quickly taken down. Mr. Ransom went to the store personally this morning but all signs of the vandalism had been removed.

He didn't want to comment on the message that was left. He also said there are private security cameras there, but wasn't sure if they had been checked.

"We're looking into it but at this time there isn't any indication of who may have been involved," Mr. Ransom said. "There's the connection with the Fettermans but we don't know what the intent was otherwise."

Ms. Fetterman, nonprofits and volunteers helped opened the Free Store in the fall of 2012, offering donated clothes and critical items for free to those in need in the area.

Mr. Fetterman and his Republican counterpart, Sen. Dave McCormick, have been outspoken supporters of Israel and critics of antisemitism, which has risen in recent years.

Mr. Fetterman visited Israel for the second time last month amid a breakdown in cease-fire negotiations and as Israel launched another wave of strikes in Gaza. The senator at the time demanded the release of all remaining hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The U.S.-designated terrorist organization killed more than 1,200 and took more than 240 hostages in the attack.

Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 Hamas fighters, but the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says more than 46,000 people have been killed over the 15-plus months of fighting since the 2023 attack, according to Reuters.

Both Mr. Fetterman and Mr. McCormick have also expressed support for President Donald Trump's effort to deport pro-Palestinian student protesters and to cut federal funding to certain universities, such as Columbia University in New York City, which Mr. Fetterman said allowed antisemitism to "run amok ... [terrorizing] Jewish students."

The Trump administration has suggested that antisemitism, including on college campuses, threatens the country's national security interests.

But Democratic lawmakers including Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, and free speech and immigration advocates say the administration's moves — which are being challenged in several courts — are unconstitutional.

Ms. Lee and other Democrats, including several who are supporters of Israel, have denounced the detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian Columbia graduate student whom federal immigration authorities arrested despite being a permanent legal resident and green card holder.

And Ms. Lee joined almost three dozen Democrats in the House and Senate demanding the release of Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish citizen who held a valid F-1 student visa before it was revoked and she was detained in Somerville, Mass. by masked authorities "simply for expressing her political views" in a student newspaper, the lawmakers said.

Ms. Ozturk has not been charged with a crime. But the Department of Homeland Security accused her of engaging in activities that supported Hamas, without providing evidence, the Associated Press reported.