Hateful anti-Israel vandals attempting to destroy Congressman Adriano Espaillat's Washington Heights office were captured on surveillance footage obtained exclusively by The Post.
Footage shows two thugs wearing hoods and surgical masks begin Tuesday's assault, lifting a roller door that was protecting the lawmaker's workplace. The lawmaker has previously been targeted over his support for the Jewish community.
As the 90-second clip continues, one of the masked vandals begins violently banging on the glass window, while the other begins daubing the area with blood-red spray paint, before the two suddenly leave.
Congressman Espaillat said he was shocked to find broken glass on the sidewalk and a blob of red paint with the words “Liberate Gaza” scrawled in black.
Still, he knew he would be targeted by anti-Israel groups protesting on Oct. 7, Espaillat told the Post on Tuesday, noting that his name was on the flyer. .
“Instead of calling for peace, conflict resolution, and justice, they resorted to violence and destruction, which I thought was really sad and unfortunate,” she said when students were attacked by anti-Israel groups. said the MP who spoke out.
Police and Espaillat confirmed that up to four suspects came to vandalize the parliamentarian's office, but only two can be seen on the footage. It is being investigated as a hate crime.
The vandalism was reported at 4:15 a.m., but Espaillat said it happened around 3 a.m.
Espaillat said he and his staff have been working around the clock to clean up the mess, even though the incident has shaken up the five staff members who work there.
This was the second attack on the Washington Heights office, which was also spray painted by vandals on September 27th. The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating both incidents.
The incident occurred one year after Hamas terrorists' brutal attack on Israel (killing 1,200 innocent Israelis and taking 250 hostages), which incited war in the region. 97 hostages are still being held in Gaza.
Thousands of pro-terrorism demonstrators flocked to Manhattan, with a group led by the anti-Israel organization Within Our Lifetime starting on Wall Street and moving uptown, growing to about 2,000 people.
On Monday, another crowd of protesters also descended on Washington Square Park before moving uptown.
Seven anti-Israel demonstrators were arrested during the day 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.
