The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (Barry Halkin/Halkin Photography)
The person who vandalized the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in late August was arrested by Philadelphia police.
According to Fox 29 Philadelphia, earlier this week 33-year-old Leroy Hayes of Woodbury, New Jersey, turned himself in after security cameras captured him spray-painting part of the museum’s “The Weitzman Stands with Israel” flag on Aug. 18.
Weitzman CEO Dan Tadmor said that information is limited at this time, but that the museum is happy to see that justice is on its way to being served.
“The guy turned himself in, that’s what we know from the announcement — I seriously doubt that he was suddenly overcome with pangs of remorse. It’s more likely that he knew police were on to him and were looking for him,” Tadmor said. “I hope he will be charged and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Hayes is alleged to have vandalized the museum on Independence Mall on Aug. 18, while museum officials report that a similar incident occurred a week later on Aug. 25. He is being charged with ethnic intimidation, criminal mischief and possessing an instrument of crime.
The Philadelphia Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.
The museum has upgraded its security and surveillance since then, Tadmor said, opting not to elaborate on what measures specifically have been employed.
He added that law enforcement was exemplary in their handling of the situation.
“We’re grateful to the FBI and Philadelphia police, who took this matter seriously from the very beginning and have achieved this result. So we’re very grateful and we don’t take it for granted,” he said.
“We are saddened and outraged by the repeated vandalism at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History,” the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia and StandWithUs Mid-Atlantic wrote in a joint statement emailed to Philadelphia Jewish Exponent soon after the second incident. “Acts of hate like this have no place in Greater Philadelphia or anywhere in the region. We are grateful to law enforcement for their swift response and coordination, and we are committed to supporting the Weitzman as it moves through this painful moment.”