Antisemitic vandalism prompts heightened security at Philly Holocaust memorial
The Brief
Millions of Jewish lives were killed in the Holocaust and a permanent symbol of remembrance sits on the corner of 16th and Arch in Center City, with the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza.
The park is adding a new security measure aimed at stopping antisemitic vandalism.
They say the goal is to also teach visitors about the memorial while serving as an added layer of security.
CENTER CITY - Temporary barricades have been placed at the Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza, due to events in the city over the weekend, but visitors will soon see more full-time security at the memorial, after someone scrawled a Holocaust denial message on a memorial panel.
What we know
In the shadow of City Hall, in Center City Philadelphia, stands a 61-year-old bronze statue at Horowitz-Wasserman Plaza, the nation's oldest public Holocaust Memorial.
Sadly, someone scrawled a Holocaust denial message on a memorial panel.
"When you operate a Holocaust memorial you want to offer a safe, clean space and welcoming space and, due to antisemitic incidents and the homeless problem in Center City, we are struggling to do that," explained Eszter Kutas, Executive Director of Philadelphia Holocaust remembrance Foundation.
In light of numerous acts of vandalism in the past couple of years, including spray-painting of swastikas, the foundation has erected a new security booth and is hiring two park managers to deal with security issues.
The announcement comes on the heels of an antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado where 15 people were injured.
What they're saying
Kutas stated, "We need to do the utmost to make sure people feel that coming here the space is welcoming them and they're not worried about personal safety."
The managers will be at the memorial during the day, seven days a week, to engage visitors and hopefully provide a deterrent against vandals.
The plaza already has 24-hour camera surveillance.
"It's sad that vandalism is always there and you have to worry about it," stated tourist Jennifer Nomberg.
The Nomberg family was visiting the memorial Friday and noticed two temporary barricades and were sad that anyone would vandalize a place to memorialize Holocaust victims and families.
Jennifer added, "Now you realize the importance of protecting these things so that history shouldn't repeat itself."
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