GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) is investigating after vandals defaced gravestones at a Jewish cemetery with pro-Trump graffiti on Monday — just hours before the President delivered his last campaign speech of the current election cycle at a local airport.
The vandalism occurred at the Ahavas Achim Cemetery in Grand Rapids. "TRUMP" was painted on the back of four headstones, while "MAGA" was written on two of them.
The paint appeared to have been applied on Monday. Police say don't have a lead on any suspects, and no evidence was left at the scene.
Michigan Jewish Democrats released a statement on the vandalism on Monday evening.
"The Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus is appalled and outraged by the desecration of Ahavas Israel cemetery in Grand Rapids, a year after the city's reform synagogue was vandalized with antisemitic imagery, and on the day Donald Trump is slated to close his campaign with a rally in Grand Rapids," the organization said in the statement.
Rep. Justin Amash, I-Michigan, who was born to Arab-Christian parents, also tweeted about the incident Monday evening, condemning the anti-semitism shown in the vandalism.
We stand united with our Jewish friends and neighbors against this disgusting act of vandalism, desecration, and hate toward our fellow human beings. Anti-Semitism must find no home in our community. https://t.co/yuf2oHTQco
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) November 2, 2020
Grand Rapids marked Trump's final campaign stop of the 2020 election cycle. He delivered a stump speech in front of hundreds of supporters at Gerald R. Ford International Airport late Monday night.
This story was originally published by Kellen Voss on WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
