Framingham Mayor, First Lady 'Saddened' By Menorah Vandalism

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky and First Lady Robin Kaye said they were "saddened" to hear about what happened to the Centre Common menorah display over the weekend.

The menorah was knocked over and a pro-Israel sign was missing after someone knocked the menorah over Saturday night. Officials said they are investigating the matter as a potential hate crime.

The mayor and first lady issued a statement on Monday:

"We are saddened that the menorah was knocked over on Saturday evening. The lighting of the Hanukkah menorah on the Framingham Center Common has been a long standing tradition in our community and this is the first instance in my memory that it has ever been targeted. We won't know if it was an act of vandalism or the result of a hate crime until the police conclude their investigation. We urge everyone to respect the sanctity of all religious symbols and hope that during this holiday season we make an extra effort to appreciate everyone's religious beliefs."

The Framingham Police Department received information on Sunday that the menorah at Centre Common on Edgell Road was vandalized. Officials confirmed it had been knocked over while the pro-Israel sign was missing from the display.

Video surveillance shows a person knocking the menorah over around 6:51 p.m. on Saturday. The person hasn't been identified as of Monday afternoon, police said.
The menorah was scratched and two light bulbs were damaged, police said.