Denver, CO, July 16, 2019 … The Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region, responding to reports of anti-Semitic vandalism and swastikas at a Bailey church and real estate office, condemned the incidents and commended law enforcement for investigating the incidents as possible hate crimes.

According to media reports, a swastika and hateful reference to Jews were spray painted over the weekend on the Platte Canyon Community Church in Bailey. In addition, the sign at a neighboring real estate office was vandalized with a swastika. The Park County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are investigating the incidents as possible hate crimes.

ADL Mountain States Regional Director Scott Levin issued the following statement:

We are deeply saddened by the vandalism at the Platte Canyon Community Church and Deer Creek Realty office in Bailey. We offer our support and solidarity. All people deserve to worship in peace and safety, free from any attempt to intimidate them or prevent them from practicing their faith.

We commend the Park County Sheriff’s Office and FBI for investigating the incidents as possible hate crimes.

ADL’s most recent Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents recorded a total of 39 reported cases of vandalism and harassment against Jews and Jewish institutions in Colorado in 2018. The number of anti-Semitic incidents reported in Colorado reached a peak with 57 incidents in 2017 and 45 in 2016. The last three year’s reports of anti-Semitic incidents are the highest in more than 12 years in Colorado.

ADL is the world’s leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. ADL’s Mountain States Region covers Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. More at https://mountainstates.adl.org/.