MAPLEWOOD, Mo. – Maplewood police are investigating after they said a Jewish family’s home was targeted three times in the past week alone. All three incidents were caught on camera.
The first happened just after midnight last Thursday. Surveillance video shows a man stealing the flag and the flagpole right off the family’s lawn.
A day later, a woman fell over while ripping down the family’s banner honoring missing Israeli hostages.
Then, early Monday morning, someone else walked up and stole another Israeli flag off the family’s lawn before jumping back into a car and driving off.
Pro-Israel activists say enough is enough. Traci Goldstein said the incidents have her fed up.
“This poor family hasn’t just been bothered once or twice. They’re repeatedly bothered. They’re repeatedly screamed at,” Goldstein said. “I just think it’s un-American.”
Some even stopped to yell things during FOX 2’s interview in front of the home, with one woman yelling ‘free Palestine’ while making an obscene gesture.
Walk around the Maplewood neighborhood and you’ll notice all kinds of different flags and signs representing different ideas. It’s why neighbors say the attacks don’t represent their neighborhood.
Rick Joice says he proudly displays an LGBTQIA+ flag in front of his home.
“To me, there is all sorts of people in this world, and they have every right like anyone else,” he said.
Goldstein said the Jewish community has a simple message:
“Let us alone; let us be in peace. We’re not bothering you; we’re simply showing a symbol of who we are,” Goldstein said.
Back in 2022, the city of Maplewood passed a hate crime ordinance, enforcing harsher penalties for offenses like these. Maplewood Police said if you recognize the people in the videos to call them immediately at 314-645-3000.
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