New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered state police on Thursday to investigate the desecration of more than a dozen headstones at the Waad Hakolel Cemetery in Rochester.
“The State Police Hate Crimes Task Force, in partnership with federal and local authorities, have launched aggressive investigations into reported hate crimes across the state,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Given the wave of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and disturbing vandalism at Jewish cemeteries nationwide, I am directing the State Police to immediately launch a full investigation into this matter.”
A spokesperson for the Rochester police said there were no suspects in custody as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester condemned the vandalism in a Facebook post, saying: “Regardless of intention, this act is unacceptable and must be treated as a crime motivated by anti-Semitism.”
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