San Jose councilmember's campaign signs for state office defaced with antisemitic vandalism

San Jose councilmembers campaign signs for state office defaced with antisemitic vandalism

Signs belonging to San Jose councilmember David Cohen, who is running for California State Senate. The signs were vandalized between April 28 and May 5. 

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose police are investigating after campaign signs for a San Jose city councilmember who's running for California's State Senate were vandalized with a Star of David. 

Police say officers responded to a report of vandalism on Tuesday in the 500 and 600 blocks of E. Brokaw Road. The campaign signs, belonging to David Cohen, were graffitied with the Star of David, a symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.

Signs defaced with Star of David

What we know:

Police believe at least two signs were defaced between April 28 and May 5.

"No one should be targeted because of their religion, beliefs, background, or values," said SJPD Chief Paul Joseph. "When an act appears it could be motivated by hate or bias, we take that seriously and will work closely with the District Attorney's Office to determine whether any additional criminal charges apply."

No arrests have been made.

Cohen represents San Jose's District 4, a city council position he's held since 2021. The South Bay democrat is currently running to represent California's District 10, represented by Aisha Wahab, in the State Senate.

Cohen noted the act was particularly painful because of the symbol’s historical meaning. While it represents Jewish values like community care and environmental stewardship, he noted it has historically been used to "mark" and marginalize Jewish people.

Daniel Klein, CEO of Jewish Silicon Valley, said he was saddened but not surprised by the vandalism. He emphasized that such actions create a climate of fear that forces community members to perform constant threat assessments.

"They are asking, 'Do I go to that event? Do I show up and be outwardly and proudly Jewish?'" Klein said. "Or is there some negative physical violence that can come my way," Klein said. 

District 10 candidates react

What they're saying:

Cohen is one of six candidates running for the state office. The field of candidates includes democrats Anne Kepner, Raymond Liu, Carmen Montano, Scott Sakakihara, and republican Linda Price.

In a statement to KTVU, Price condemned the vandalism.

"There is no place for hate, intimidation, or destruction of property in our community or our political process. We can disagree politically while still treating one another with respect and decency," she said.

Kepner shared a similar perspective, saying she stands with Cohen and the Jewish community.

‘Hate will never define us’

Dig deeper:

"Our diverse communities are our greatest strength, and no one should be targeted because of their faith, identity, or public service. I stand with David, his family, and the Jewish community. Hate will never define us," Kepner said.

Liu emphasized how democracy relies on the community being able to participate in public life "without fear of hate or intimidation."

"We can have disagreements on policy and engage in spirited debate during campaigns, but targeting someone because they are Jewish-American crosses a line that should never be tolerated," he said.

Montano also condemned the vandalism in a statement via her campaign adviser, which said, in part, "Mayor Montano forcefully condemns antisemitism and all acts of hate, intimidation, and vandalism, emphasizing that campaigns must be rooted in ideas and public service."

Sakakihara called the vandalism an attack on the premise of democracy.

"Antisemitism and many forms of hate are shockingly on the rise, and I'm saddened that David Cohen has experienced this personally," he said. "This is an attack not just on the person running for office, but also an attack on the very premise of our democracy."