North Cook News

After several recent acts of anti-Semitic vandalism targeting the Jewish community in Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called for those responsible for the hate crimes to be held accountable for their actions.

Lightfoot's call for action came after several anti-Semitic acts of vandalism took place in West Rogers Park during the last weekend of January, CBS Chicago reported. 

"I am deeply upset to learn that a local synagogue, s school, and business were vandalized over the weekend — some with symbols of hate and anti-Semitism," Lightfoot tweeted on Jan. 31. "These crimes are undoubtedly a part of the troubling rise in anti-Semitism that we're seen in our city & across the country. Make no mistake: this attack, as well as the deep hatred & bigotry that drives other anti-Semitic acts like it, is an attack on our city's Jewish community & social fabric."

According to CBS Chicago, Shahid Hussain, 39, of Niles, was charged in connection to four of those crimes. Hussain was on parole at the time yellow swastikas were found spray-painted on a synagogue and Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov High School. Other property damage was reported at another synagogue and Jewish high school too. CBS Chicago reported Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said the criminal justice system must hold people accountable and provide resources needed to prevent recidivism. However, according to Chicago City Wire, a report found Foxx had dropped nearly a third of all felony cases. 

At a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon, Hussain was ordered held on $250,000 bail.

A study by Brandeis University revealed around 319,600 Jewish people were living in Chicago as of 2020.

According to statistics from the FBI, more than 1,200 acts of hate crimes motivated by religious bias were committed during the 2020 fiscal year, Religion News Service reported. The total number of hate crimes reported surpassed 8,000 which was the highest number of reported incidents in nearly 20 years.