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Vandals target historic Jewish cemetery in University City
UNIVERSITY CITY, MO – Investigators with the University City Police Department are working to determine who knocked over or damaged dozens of headstones at a local Jewish cemetery Thursday morning.Police would not say if they considered the vandalism at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery to be a hate crime.
A steady stream of people were stopping by to see if the toppled headstones belonged to any of their family members who are buried at the site. "These are holocaust survivors that are in here they shouldn't have to endure anymore trauma let them be settled," said Robin Rickerman whose elders including great aunts and uncles are buried at the gravesite. "I can't believe people would do that anywhere to anyone, it's just wrong," said Golda Burke whose grandparents on her dad side are buried on the other side of the vandalized site. "It's not ok," she said, "it's never ok to desecrate the dead." Police said they're reviewing security camera footage from the area. More than 100 headstones were damaged. The investigation coincides with yet another round of bomb threats at Jewish community centers across the nation. According to cemetery executive director, Anita Feigenbaum a clean-up effort is being planned. Feigenbaum, said the Muslim community has offered to help with the effort as well.
Posted by: Steve White 2017-02-22 |
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