Union Station in Washington, D.C., Vandalized With Multiple Swastikas

Police are searching for a suspect after multiple swastikas were found scrawled on the façade of Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Friday, a day after International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Mayor Muriel E. Bowser called the graffiti a “disturbing sight.”

“We stand united with the members of our Jewish community against antisemitism in all its forms,” she added.

1/This morning, commuters in DC were met with the disturbing sight of swastikas drawn on our historic Union Station. This symbol of hate displayed in our city is both shocking and unsettling, particularly on the heels of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 28, 2022

Amtrak Police are leading the investigation into the incident, with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) assisting.

MPD Chief Robert J. Contee III said authorities believed the perpetrator could be a homeless person with “mental health challenges.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington stated, “This antisemitic and hateful symbol has no place in our society, and to find it in our city the week of International Holocaust Remembrance Day is particularly offensive. Our Jewish community will continue to stand strong and resilient in the face of hatred and antisemitism, and in encouraging mental health services for all who need them.”

We are disturbed by this video of a swastika taken this morning just outside @wmata at DC’s Union Station. This antisemitic and hateful symbol has no place in our society, and to find it in our city the week of International Holocaust Remembrance Day is particularly offensive. pic.twitter.com/5sEyNWJ1vk

— The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (@JFGW) January 28, 2022

Located in downtown Washington, D.C, near Capitol Hill, Union Station serves as Amtrak’s headquarters and is the national rail carrier’s second-busiest station.

With a subway connection and major bus terminal, as well as shopping and dining facilities, more than 40 million people pass through its doors annually.

“Amtrak strongly condemns this act of hatred and will work with our landlord, USRC, and their lessor to remove these symbols as quickly as possible,” Amtrak spokesperson Kimberly Woods said.