Anti-Israel, pro-Hamas graffiti found at Lake Merritt in Oakland prompts hate crime investigation

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police were investigating graffiti sprawled in an area at Lake Merritt as a hate crime.

Officers were called to the lake’s pergola in the 500 block of  El Embarcadero on Monday, on a report of vandalism to city property. That’s where they found the walls of the structure spray-painted with words including, "End U.S. aid to Israel" and "Free Palestine." 

On social media, posts showed more graffiti on other locations in the area, blasting Israel with even stronger anti-Israel wording and expressing support for Hamas, including the words "Hamas," a terrorist group, circled in a red heart on the sidewalk. 

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On Tuesday, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) responded to the incident, describing it as "hateful vitriol." In a statement, the group said, "This is part of a relentless trend of vandalizing both public and private property which sows fear in the Jewish community."

The group went on to say it has recorded almost 600 incidents of "antisemitic vandalism" in the U.S. since Hamas’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7, and it will continue to call out acts that seek to perpetrate more hate and fear in communities.  

"Oakland’s citizens deserve to live in a city free of hateful messages," said Marc Levine, the ADL’s regional director of the Central Pacific office.

The incident followed another act of vandalism at Lake Merritt back in December when a menorah was dismantled and thrown into the water.

The Chabad Jewish Center of Oakland had set up the menorah at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater to mark Hanukkah.

Oakland police designated that case as a hate crime as well. There was no word of any arrests. 

This week’s incident prompted investigators to call on community members to report such acts to the Oakland Police Department hate crime tipline at (510) 637-4283 or by contacting OPD's non-emergency number at (510) 777-3333. 

Investigators said they will remain in contact with local, state and federal law enforcement partners and assess whether there's a need to increase police presence stemming from the incident.