After a second Colorado Springs synagogue was targeted with anti-Semitic vandalism this summer, the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region helped bring together community leaders, including Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, to condemn the incidents and express their support for all those targeted with hate crimes.

Governor Hickenlooper, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers and Colorado Springs Police Chief Pete Carey met with representatives of Temple Beit Torah, as well as Temple Shalom, on Aug. 10. Just a few days earlier, on Aug. 4, the sign at Temple Beit Torah was vandalized with a swastika and other anti-Semitic graffiti. In addition, several vehicles in the neighborhood were vandalized with swastikas and a racial slur.

Governor Hickenlooper also made a stop at Chabad Lubavitch of Southern Colorado in Colorado Springs and met with leaders there to express his support after the center was vandalized in June. In that incident, a white supremacist was arrested on misdemeanor charges on July 14 for allegedly affixing a “Fight Terror, Nuke Israel” sticker to the door of the synagogue.

After the meeting on Aug. 10, Governor Hickenlooper, Mayor Suthers and Chief Carey issued a joint statement:

We write today to take a stand after Temple Beit Torah was the target of hateful vandalism when its sign was defaced with Nazi graffiti. Numerous cars around the Temple also were painted with swastikas and racial epithets. It is the second incident at a synagogue in Colorado Springs in less than a month. In July, an alleged white supremacist was arrested in Colorado Springs for putting an anti-Semitic sticker on the door of the Chabad Lubavitch of Southern Colorado. These hateful activities have come during a time of increasing anti-Semitic and racially-motivated attacks in Colorado and around the nation. The Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region reports that anti-Semitic incidents in Colorado have increased at an alarming rate, with 18 such activities in 2015 and 45 in 2016. If the trend continues, we expect there will be more than 60 incidents in 2017. This is unacceptable.

 

The City of Colorado Springs and State of Colorado are proud of the diversity of our residents. Colorado law expressly provides for the right of every person, regardless of their religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation to be protected from intimidation, harassment and physical harm. We are committed to the full enforcement of these laws.

 

All Coloradans have a stake in an effective response to such hateful bigotry. Crimes that are motivated by bias reach well beyond the particular victim or targeted place of worship. These crimes send a message to an entire community that may leave it feeling isolated, vulnerable and unprotected.

 

As the elected leaders of this city and state, as well as the chief law enforcement officer of Colorado Springs, we want to make it clear that the Jewish people are important members of our wonderful and diverse communities. Hate crimes will not be tolerated in Colorado Springs or elsewhere in our beautiful state. We are all committed to using the full power of our offices, and the laws of our city and state, to stand up to hateful activities and crimes.