Hate Crime Investigation Underway After Menorah Vandalized in Oakland

Community rallies to replace destroyed menorah amid surge in antisemitic incidents

A large public menorah in Oakland, California was vandalized and destroyed, with pieces thrown into Lake Merritt and antisemitic graffiti left at the scene.
The incident, which occurred during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, has spurred a hate crime investigation by the Oakland Police Department.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has condemned the act, stating it was not just an attack on the city's Jewish community but on the entire city and its shared values.
The Chabad Jewish Center of Oakland, which organizes the lighting of the menorah, inaugurated a new menorah in its place, with hundreds attending the lighting ceremony.
The incident comes amid a reported increase in antisemitic incidents during the Israel-Hamas war, with over 2,000 such incidents reported since October 7.