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Vandals wreck headstones at historic Jewish cemetery in St. Louis

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. — Police, who are reviewing security footage, would not say whether they are considering the incident a hate crime.
Vandals wreck headstones at historic Jewish cemetery in St. Louis
Dozens of vandalized headstones are seen at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in St. Louis on Feb. 20, 2017. Screengrab from KSDK-St. Louis video
USA Today

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. (USA Today) Vandals damaged dozens of headstones at a Jewish cemetery over the weekend, police said Monday (Feb. 20).

Karen Aroesty, the regional director for the St. Louis-area Anti-Defamation League, was alerted to the damage at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery and did a walk-through Monday afternoon. Aroesty said she was appalled at what she saw.

Police, who are reviewing security footage, would not say whether they are considering the incident a hate crime.


The vandalism occurred the same day as 11 Jewish community centers received bomb threats, the fourth wave of threats this year.

Federal authorities are investigating. “The FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish community centers across the country,” the FBI said in a statement. “The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence, and will ensure this matter is investigated in a fair, thorough, and impartial manner. As this is matter is ongoing, we are not able to comment further at this time.”

Ground was acquired for Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in 1893. The Chesed Shel Emeth Society has been serving the St. Louis Jewish community for more than 125 years, according to the society’s website. “It operates in accordance with Jewish tradition as is telling from its name: Chesed – loving kindness; and Emeth – Torah Truth and integrity,” the site says.

(Kevin Johnson of USA Today and KSDK-TV contributed to this report)

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