Highland Park Condemns Antisemitic Vandalism Found At Public Park

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Highland Park leaders condemned an act of antisemitic vandalism reported Tuesday at a public park, where a community member found a slide defaced with a swastika.

"An act of antisemitism was reported in our community today and has once again shaken many of us," Mayor Nancy Rotering said. "On behalf of the City of Highland Park, we condemn this incident in the strongest terms."

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Rotering said a community member discovered a slide had been defaced with a swastika and reported it to authorities. Park District personnel responded quickly to remove the hate symbol from the slide, and the police department launched an investigation.

Police have increased monitoring at parks and houses of worship after the report, out of an abundance of caution, Rotering said.

Rotering said the incident came at a significant time for Highland Park's Jewish community.

"This incident comes at a particularly meaningful time for our Jewish community, as families move from the solemn reflection of the High Holy Days into the joyful preparations for Sukkot," Rotering said. "It is deeply painful that, during a time centered on reflection, unity and renewal, an act of hate has found its way into our community."

The mayor also placed the vandalism in a broader context, saying antisemitism is rising beyond Highland Park.

"We are living through a time when antisemitism is rising, not only across the world, but here at home," Rotering said. "That reality is painful, and for so many, it is deeply personal."

The city directed residents to its website to read Highland Park's Statement Against Hate. The police investigation remains ongoing, according to the city statement.