Bangor police investigating antisemitic graffiti

The Bangor Police Department is investigating after a swastika was found painted near a synagogue last Thursday night.

A Facebook post from Congregation Beth Israel explained that teenagers were seen spray painting antisemitic graffiti just outside the building.

Police were called.

The synagogue says it has clear footage of the teens.

They're investigating to see if any other damage was done to the property.

In the post, President Brian Kresge says they'd rather not press criminal mischief or vandalism charges.

Instead, they'd rather see the teenagers involved in some restorative justice.

A Facebook post from neighboring synagogue Congregation Beth El echoed that statement, and they hope to educate the teens about the harm of their actions.

Rabbi Bill Siemers, Congregation Beth Israel, said, "The larger context is the thing that's most disturbing. There are members of my congregation that in their living memory, they saw one-third of European Jews murdered by Nazis. We know what antisemitism can do if it's not addressed. Part of it has to be a sort of a reckoning of how serious the problem of antisemitism is becoming."

The congregation had security cameras installed after a similar incident in 2012.