Swastikas Painted On Chicago Stores; Person Of Interest Identified, Police Say

CHICAGO, IL — A person of interest has been identified after swastikas were painted on minority-run businesses in Jefferson Park, according to reports.

The graffiti was spray-painted by a male between 5 p.m. Tuesday and just before 8 a.m. Wednesday in the 4700 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, according to police, who said Friday that detectives were speaking with a person of interest.

The vandalized properties included Supreme Smoke Shop, Cannabist and an office building, all of which are near the Ho-Chunk Nation Chicago Branch Office, the Ho-Chunk Nation said in a news release clarifying that its office was not tagged with graffiti.

“I just wish he’d leave us alone,” Arcan Abu-hashish, who owns Supreme Smoke Shop, told the Chicago Tribune, adding he suspected a former customer could be responsible for the vandalism.

The Department of Streets and Sanitation removed the graffiti by about noon Wednesday, according to Alderman Jim Gardiner, who said messaging that promoted hate would be met with zero tolerance and those responsible for such messaging would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“I am confident we can work together to figure out who it is so they don’t do this anymore,” LizMarie Palomo, Midwest general manager at Cannabist, told Block Club Chicago.

In a joint statement, state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe and state Sen. Robert Martwick cited a recent rise in anti-Semitic and white supremacist behavior.

There is no place for this poisonous behavior in our home community, and it is on all of us to step up and call it out,” the legislators said.

"Our country's strength is found in its diversity and of the unique backgrounds, identities and experiences of the people who choose to live here — aspects that are the foundation of Jefferson Park.”