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In a disturbing act of hate, the Israeli-American Council (IAC) national headquarters in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California was defaced with antisemitic graffiti over the weekend.
The vandalism, which targeted both the building and its immediate surroundings, serves as yet another glaring reminder of the growing normalization of antisemitism and its escalating impact on Jewish communities worldwide.
The offensive symbols included a yellow swastika and the lightning bolt-stylized “SS,” representing the Nazi Schutzstaffel, notorious for its role in the murder of Jews during the Holocaust.
Additionally, the word “burn” was spray-painted on the sidewalk directly in front of the IAC headquarters, accompanied by a swastika scrawled on a cardboard snowman at the entrance.
In a further display of hatred, the phrase “F— Jews, BDS” was added to a nearby barrier along Highway 101, with additional swastikas appearing throughout the area.
📍 Los Angeles, August 9–10, 2025
Antisemitic graffiti with swastikas, SS symbols, “burn,” and “F Jews / BDS” was spray-painted on and around the Israeli American Council’s Shepher Community Center in Woodland Hills. pic.twitter.com/TCLJZ1zoQw
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) August 11, 2025
The IAC is actively working with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Topanga Community Police to investigate the incident. Security footage from the building captured an image of a suspect, and local authorities were reviewing the evidence as part of their ongoing investigation.
Elan S. Carr, CEO of the IAC and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, expressed his shock and dismay over the incident. “We are appalled by this vile act of antisemitism at the doorstep of our own community and offices,” he stated. “Around the world and across our country, we have seen an alarming and historic rise in antisemitism. We are working tirelessly to fight it and to ensure that history does not repeat itself.”
Carr underscored the resilience of the IAC and the broader Jewish community in the face of such hatred. “This incident will not intimidate or deter us — on the contrary, it fuels our determination to stand even stronger against antisemitism and to protect and strengthen our community for generations to come,” he said.
