Man booked for hate crime after Beverly Hills menorah defaced
A menorah display in Beverly Hills was vandalized and defaced with a Nazi symbol Sunday night. One person has been arrested.
"A despicable act such as this will never be tolerated in our city," Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook said in a statement.
The large menorah at Sunset Boulevard and Foothill Road was vandalized and the symbol was carved into its base.
Officers responded to "a report of a suspect defacing a Menorah on private property" at about 8 p.m. Sunday, according to Beverly Hills Police.
"When darkness hits, we provide more light and we shine the light brighter than ever," said Aaron Newman, whose family owns the display. "Yesterday we had one flood light, and now we have two. We're shining the light brighter than ever."
The Newmans' menorah display was vandalized on the first night of Hanukkah. The suspect hurled rocks and broke their light before carving the Nazi symbol on its base.
"There's antisemitism happening left, right and center but it wasn't hitting me," said Newman.
Eric Brian King, 47, was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism and a hate crime. King was held on a $20,000 bond, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
"The suspect was located with the assistance of the police department's Real Time Watch Center ... after surveillance video depicted him throwing objects at a Menorah," Beverly Hills Police Lt. Giovanni Trejo said in a statement. "The initial investigation revealed that King carved Nazi symbols into the base of the Menorah."
The Beverly Hills community rallied around the Newmans hours after the vandalism.
"You know I'm here for you and your family," said Mayor Lili Bosse, a daughter of a Holocaust survivor.
Rabbi David Baron echoed Bosse's sentiments and said that the community will endure past the hateful attack.
"We won't let an act of desecration deter us," said Baron. "We'll rebuild. We'll cleanse. We'll restore."
As for the Newmans, they have decided to embody the Hanukkah spirit.
"We're just going to shine our light brighter and brighter and brighter, said Newman.