Hate-filled vandals smashed the glass facade of Rep. Adriano Espaira's upper Manhattan office and threw red paint early Tuesday morning, a day after anti-Israel protests rocked the city.
Photos show paint dripping on the exterior of the office on West 181st Street near Bennett Avenue and pooling on the sidewalk. The words “Gaza Free” were scrawled in black on it.
Democratic lawmakers have supported security funding for Jewish sites and spoken out in support of Jewish students attacked at schools such as Columbia University.
“Yesterday, my name was on a flyer for the target location where the protest was scheduled to take place, but at night people came and became violent and destroyed the actual district office,” Espaillat said. he told The Post on Tuesday.
“They splattered red paint on the glass, on the signs, on the sidewalk, and there was broken glass everywhere,” he said.
Police and deputies said up to four suspects used hammers to smash the front glass of the office.
The vandalism was reported at 4:15 a.m., but Espaillat said it happened around 3 a.m.
He and his staff worked throughout the day Tuesday to clean up the mess.
Espaillat said many of his staff members, many of whom were not at the scene during the vandalism, are upset but will not stop being present for their constituents.
“I'll go tomorrow, I went today, and I'll be back tomorrow,” Paul vowed.
The vandalism occurred one year after Hamas's brutal attack on Israel.
“On the anniversary of October 7th, more than 1,200 people lost their lives in tragic ways – as you know, women were raped, children were killed, and elderly people were shot and killed. It was very unfortunate and in some ways unpleasant. They appealed for peace and resorted to violence and vandalism,” Espaillat said of the vandals.
The early morning crime occurred less than two weeks after police said vandals spray-painted the windows and doors of the same Espaillat office in a brazen act on Sept. 27.
Police said both incidents are being investigated by the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force.
Several lawmakers condemned the vandalism.
“The latest act of outrageous destruction comes after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing 1,200 civilians, including more than 40 Americans, and taking 251 people hostage, including 12 Americans. This occurred on a day of solemn reflection to mark the one-year anniversary,” Congressman Jerrold said in a joint statement. Nadler, Hakeem Jeffries, Jamal Bowman, Yvette Clark, Dan Goldman, Tim Kennedy, Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Joe Morrell, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pat Ryan, Tom Suozzi, Paul Tonko, Richie Torres, Nydia Velasquez.
“Last month, Congressman Adriano Espaillat’s office was attacked and vandalized several times,” they said. “This targeted act of vandalism puts voters and Congressional staff alike at risk and disrupts Congressional operations and social services that voters rely on.”
Seven anti-Israel demonstrators were arrested throughout the day Monday at protests in Manhattan, including a 23-year-old New Jersey man accused of kicking a New York City police officer in the chest.
Of the seven people detained, two were released on summons and five were required to be arraigned in court, police said.
Additional reporting by Zoe Hussain
