Vandalism Targeting New York Times Executive Editor

The executive editor of the New York Times, Joseph Khan, became a target for anti-Israel activists on Friday when someone vandalized the building of his Manhattan apartment with red paint. Messages aimed at him were also scrawled on the sidewalk.

The vandal used black spray paint to write “Joe Khan lies to Gaza dies” at the foot of the stairs leading into the building, as reported by various outlets covering the conflict in Gaza.

Additionally, red paint was splashed on the stairs and the front of the Greenwich Village building. People passing by appeared to be trying to clean up the mess left behind.

According to reports, the New York City Police Department received a call about the graffiti early that morning and dispatched officers to the location, where they observed paint covering the area.

Though police stated that no arrests were made, an investigation is ongoing, as noted by NBC News.

This incident is not isolated. A month prior, the New York Times’s headquarters in Times Square also faced vandalism, with similar messages left on the property.

A spokesperson for the Times commented that while individuals are entitled to oppose the paper’s reporting, vandalism and targeting individuals and their families is unacceptable, and they will cooperate with authorities to address the situation.

An independent journalist witnessed two men at the site of the vandalism being asked whether they wanted to remove a board blocking a message referencing Khan. They were told it was “none of your business” and were asked to follow Freedom News TV for further instructions.

In April 2022, it was reported that the New York Times had expanded its platform to include perspectives focused on diversity, with a note of Khan’s appointment as executive editor. Questions lingered about whether he would uphold this new approach or steer the paper towards more balanced discussions, though there’s some cautious optimism among staff regarding his leadership.