On March 23, at 635AM, an Irvington commuter found anti-semitic graffiti at the Irvington Metro-North Station. The graffiti, photo above, stated F*ck the Jews.
The Village of Irvington issued the following statement:
The Mayor of Irvington, the Board of Trustees, and Chief of Police Frank Pignatelli strongly condemn the antisemitic message written in the Metro-North train station tunnel, a space used daily by our residents and commuters. We unequivocally denounce this hateful act in the strongest possible terms and want our Jewish community and all residents to know that we take this matter with the utmost seriousness. Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Irvington.
The Board of Trustees has been in communication with local Jewish organizations and is organizing community action, bringing together partners to support those affected and reaffirm our shared values as a village.
While the tunnel falls under the jurisdiction of the MTA Police, the Irvington Police Department is actively cooperating to support a full and thorough investigation, and we urge anyone with information to come forward. If you have been affected by this incident, please reach out to the Mayor, any member of the Board of Trustees, or Chief Pignatelli. We are here to listen and support our community.”
This incident comes two weeks after another anti-semitic incident in Hastings, where authorities were alerted to the presence of stickers containing hate speech placed in high-visibility areas, including a stop sign and the Ali Marpet Way sign near the Farragut Middle School playground and Reynolds Field.
The ADL of New York/New Jersey posted, “Disgusted by the vulgar and hateful graffiti targeting Jews at the @IrvingtonNY Metro North Train Station. We’ve reached out to village officials and appreciate the Mayor’s strong condemnation. We have also been in contact with @MTA PD and local law enforcement who swiftly investigated. There is #NoPlaceForHate in any of our communities.”
Barry McGoey, candidate for Greenburgh Supervisor, posted, “This morning, an antisemitic remark was discovered defacing a wall of the pedestrian tunnel at the Irvington train station. Acts like this are not just offensive, they are meant to intimidate and divide. Let me be clear: hatred against Jewish people has no place in our community.
“I want to thank the MTA for swiftly removing the graffiti and restoring the passage. Their quick response sends a strong message that this behavior is unacceptable. Irvington, and by extension Greenburgh, must always be a place where everyone feels safe and respected, regardless of their faith, background, or identity. We all have a responsibility to stand up against hate in any form and to reaffirm the values that bring our community together.”
