Swastikas daubed at US synagogue on Shabbat condemned by Mike Pence

Anti-Semitic graffiti was spray painted on the property of a synagogue in Carmel, Indiana, and has been condemned by the US Vice-President.

Mike Pence “sickened and appalled” after a black swastika surrounded by a red background and the German and Nazi Military Iron Cross were painted on a wall at Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, a 200-member family Conservative synagogue near Indianapolis.

The graffiti was painted on the synagogue early on Saturday morning. Shabbat morning services were held despite the discovery, the synagogue said in a post on Facebook.

“Since learning of the vandalism, we have focused on working with the Carmel Police, communicating to our congregation, and working with the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council and Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis to communicate to other congregations and other Jewish agencies to ensure that they are aware of the event and can take appropriate measures,” the Facebook post also said.

The synagogue received words of support from both Jews and non-Jews in comments on the post, while the second-in-command, VP Mike Pence, also reached out to condemn the incident. He took to Twitter to say he is “sickened and appalled by the cowardly act of vandalism at Congregation Shaarey Tefilla; a beautiful synagogue in Carmel, Indiana where I have many good friends. Those responsible must be held accountable. These vile acts of anti-Semitism must end.”

Extra security has been put in place at Indianapolis-area synagogues, the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council told local media.

The state of Indiana does not have a hate crime statute on the books.