08-08-2025
Baltimore County small business with an Israeli flag vandalized, police say
A Baltimore County storefront with an Israeli flag was vandalized Thursday morning, according to police.
County councilman Izzy Patoka shared a photo of Kitchen Design by Idan, in the 6000 block of Falls Road, and the Israeli flag spray-painted red.
"When it comes to expressions of hate, there can be no tolerance," Patoka said. "Today, I learned that a small business in our district, Kitchen Design by Idan, was the target of an apparent antisemitic act of vandalism."
Police told WJZ they have been in contact with local organizations within the Jewish community to address potential concerns in the community.
Anyone with information on the vandalism should call the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-887-4636.
"Antisemitism has no place in our county, state, or country," Patoka said. "We must continue to call it out and speak with moral clarity."
Advocates in the Baltimore area and law enforcement have recently taken steps to combat hate and antisemitism.
The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore recently launched The Center to Combat Antisemitism and Hate, a new facility aimed at educating the public about antisemitism and fighting misinformation.
The region has seen several antisemitic incidents in recent years.
In July, a portion of a Baltimore School Board meeting was interrupted by racist and antisemitic content. The interruption prompted a hate crime investigation, officials said.
Maryland law enforcement has said it is stepping up patrols in Jewish communities to protect them from hate crimes.
Baltimore County Police said it would increase presence and patrols around places of worship, community centers, and other sensitive areas, in Pikesville specifically, given the large Jewish community there.
The Baltimore Police Department and the Howard County Police Department also said they would increase patrols and presence similarly.
