The incident was first reported after a 911 call was made to police in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The desecrated memorial, located in Elmhurst Park, was covered in graffiti of various profanities such as "baby killers" and "God sucks d*ck," along with swastikas and the number 110, according to the park's website.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the number 110, especially in the context of neo-Nazi imagery, is a white supremacist hate symbol. It relates to the 109 countries from which antisemites have claimed Jews have been expelled throughout history, with the 110 meant to refer to the US as the next country to do so.
Images of the vandalism were shared online by New York City Councilman Robert Holden (Democrat), who took to Twitter to voice his outrage."I am deeply disgusted by this cowardly act of vandalism," Holden tweeted, offering a reward of $1,000 for any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of "the sick soul who did it."
I am deeply disgusted by this cowardly act of vandalism at the Queens Vietnam Veterans Memorial.I am working @NYPD110Pct to make sure the perpetrator is brought to justice. I offer a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the sick soul who did it. pic.twitter.com/tKlcKzNsz8
— Robert Holden (@BobHoldenNYC) June 2, 2021
According to The New York Post, a police investigation is still ongoing.
The vandalism comes as antisemitic incidents have sharply risen in recent weeks in the US, especially in New York, which has the highest Jewish population in the country. It also comes right after US Memorial Day, which is meant to honor American soldiers that have died in battle throughout history.