Hate Graffiti Over Politics Near 'Top Chef' Tom Colicchio's Home

MATTITUCK, NY — Hate graffiti was found outside the North Fork home of famed celebrity chef Tom Colicchio Tuesday.

According to "Top Chef" judge Colicchio, who posted on Twitter, red graffiti that read "Trump" was found on the mailbox and on the grass and street in Mattituck were painted the words, "Cuomo = Death to America."

"This was in response" to his Perry Gershon political campaign yard sign, he said. Also found was his wife's name, a cross and a Jewish star, he said.

Gershon, a Democrat, is facing off against Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican for his congressional seat.

"What say you, Lee Zeldin?" the post asked.

Also reportedly found at the site were the words, “Cynthia Nixon, Go Home, Silverbush and Padhma," he said; he is married to Lori Silverbush.

The incident sparked a sea of supportive comments for Colicchio and his wife on social media. "

Silverbush also posted on Twitter about the incident.

"Woke up this a.m. to a swath of hate speech painted across the property I share with Tom Colicchio and our 2 little boys," she wrote. "Cute touch: my name & a defaced Jewish star. Wake up USA: POTUS tacitly applauds tis. This is what's at stake in the upcoming elections."

Rep. Lee Zeldin reacted to the graffiti in a Facebook post: "I don't know who did this, but this coward needs to be identified and prosecuted," he said. "I have no idea who this particular couple who lives there supports in the Democratic Party primary for Governor, but regardless, they should not be targeted for their political views one way or the other and especially referencing their religion as well was totally unacceptable and laced with hate. Settle your scores at the ballot box in our great country!"

He added: "There is no place whatsoever for actions like this in our political discourse. Speaking from personal experience, as someone who is Jewish and yet still has been disgustingly called a Nazi and Nazi sympathizer a few thousand times in the past 12 months, and having been targeted and my family targeted several times with death threats in the last year and a half, I know all too well what it is like to be the recipient of this hate and it is horrible and must end in our great country."

Just a few weeks ago, Zeldin said, one of his campaign volunteers was "attacked, threatened with death and nearly run over by a car by an individual who was a left wing opponent of my politics and fortunately was arrested and charged with a felony and misdemeanor. This needs to end. Again . . . settle your score at the ballot box, not like this."

Sonia Spar and Val Shelby, co-chairs of the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force, responded to the graffiti: “It’s very troubling that we have seen recent acts of bigoted graffitti in Mattituck and vandalism against the Greeek Orthodox Church in Greenport. The hateful messages that these actions send to our community cannot be met with silence. Our community of Southold Town must come together to strongly denounce this attack against the respect and human dignity that underlies these actions. As the new school year begins, our actions must clearly convey to our children that we stand as a community against all bigotry and for civility, respect and human dignity.”

Southold Town Police did not return requests for comment.

Lead image via Bryan Bedder / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment.