Brooklyn playground covered with more than 50 swastikas in two-day antisemitic attack

Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News on Jan 22, 2026

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NEW YORK — A crew of vandals covered a Brooklyn playground in a Jewish neighborhood with more than 50 swastikas during a two-day attack, police and city officials said Thursday.

The swastikas were drawn with red, yellow, and blue paint on slides, playground equipment and the handball court at Gravesend Park at 56th Street and 18th Avenue in Borough Park, officials said.

The hate symbols were found covering the park on both Tuesday and Wednesday, drawing the ire of politicians and community leaders.

“I am sickened by this antisemitic vandalism in Borough Park,” Mayor Mamdani said on X late Wednesday. “Antisemitism has no place in our city, and I stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish New Yorkers who were targeted.”

“My administration is working closely with the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force as well as our Parks Department, and those responsible will be investigated and held accountable,” he said.

Members of Community Board 12 alerted the 66th Precinct on Tuesday after the hateful graffiti was found peppered throughout the park.

After board members and police toured the playground, the vandals returned Tuesday night, drawing more than 25 swastikas on the playground equipment, the sidewalk and the handball courts, bringing the total over two days to 57.

Pictures of the vandalism shared by Community Board 12 show red and blue swastikas on the handball courts along with the words “Adolf Hitler.”

Three swastikas were also found drawn on a metal playground slide.

“Same park different day,” Community Board 12 said on X. “A day later and this is what happened. We are requesting that @NYPDHateCrimes pull out all the stops to catch these vile Jew haters.”

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the vandalism.

Former governor and mayoral hopeful Andrew Cuomo also took to social media to blast the vandals.

“This hateful defacement of a children’s playground isn’t just vile – it’s criminal,” Cuomo wrote. “The person or people responsible must be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Inaction only emboldens antisemitic hate, and it’s getting worse by the day. True New Yorkers will not tolerate this. We stand with our Jewish community, and we will not be intimidated.”

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine said the brazen vandalism shows that “there is a concerted effort underway to normalize Nazi symbols and slogans.”

“NYC can’t let that happen,” Levine said. “This is a hate crime and the people responsible must be held accountable.”

Last year, hate crimes investigations in the five boroughs decreased by 12%, from 657 in 2024 to 576, officials said.

Antisemitic incidents also dropped by 3% but still accounted for 57% of all hate crimes reported in 2025, cops said, adding that Jewish New Yorkers represent about 10% of the city’s population.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

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