‘NAZIS’ spray-painted on US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel’s Michigan vacation home, sheriff’s office says
By Caroll Alvarado and Jamiel Lynch, CNN
(CNN) — The Michigan vacation home of US Ambassador to Japan and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was defaced with the word “NAZIS” spray-painted on the fence, according to local officials.
Emanuel, a prominent Jewish politician, said his family was “very proud of how our friends, neighbors and the community have rallied to our support and in a singular voice in condemning hatred and bigotry” in a text to the Chicago Sun-Times.
CNN has reached out to Emanuel for comment.
Undersheriff Charles E. Heit of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office said the office was notified of the incident around 9:50 p.m. on Friday.
Emanuel’s vacation home is in Union Pier, Michigan, within New Buffalo Township, according to the sheriff’s office. There are currently no leads on the vandalism, Heit said.
“It’s despicable. It’s disgusting,” CNN Senior Political Commentator David Axelrod, who worked with Emanuel under the Obama administration, said in a post on X. “It’s just one more flashing red light. Stop the hate. Stop the antisemitism and Islamophobia. We know where it leads!”
In response to the incident, the sheriff’s office is conducting additional patrols in the area, Heit said.
The vandalism comes as Americans have reported both rising antisemitism and Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terror attacks and resulting Israeli attacks on Gaza. FBI director Christopher Wray testified in October antisemitism was reaching “sort of historic levels” across the United States.
The-CNN-Wire
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