Ilana Glazer, co-creator and star of Comedy Central’s hit show Broad City, was forced to cancel an event at a Brooklyn synagogue last night due to antisemitic graffiti that was found shortly before her scheduled appearance.
The upsetting graffiti—some of which said “Kill All Jews” and “Hitler”—was discovered before the event on Thursday night. The New York Police Department are investigating the vandalism, another in a string of anti-Semitic occurrences in Brooklyn and New York following the devastating Pittsburgh attack.
The NYPD hate crime task force is investigating this morning after anti-Semitic graffiti was found at a Brooklyn synagogue ahead of a political event hosted by @broadcity star @ilazer. @jennamdeangelis has the details. pic.twitter.com/kM67nzmWnb
— CBS New York (@CBSNewYork) November 2, 2018
According to The New York Times, Glazer was scheduled to host a Q&A session at the Union Temple in Prospect Heights with political hopefuls Jim Gaughran and Andrew Gounardes, alongside journalist Amy Goodman. However, at 8 pm she had announced the event was canceled.
In an interview with Democracy Now this morning, Glazer explained her reasoning behind the cancellation.
“I [couldn’t] put those 200 people who came to listen in a safe space in that danger,” Glazer told Democracy Now. She also went on to condemn white supremacy and the politicians who excuse it.
“Our politicians’ words, who stand for white supremacy, turn to action so quickly,” Glazer sad. She then commented on the anti-Semitic act at Union Temple, saying “We lived through a safe, physically benign version of a white supremacist act.”
Given the circumstances, I understand canceling last night at Union Temple.
But as a Jew in this neighborhood, I hope @ilazer @agounardes @democracynow @Gaughran4Senate will now do something even bigger, Jewish, and in public. https://t.co/EK0lIGBy6z— sLurie? (@luriethereal) November 2, 2018
Glazer will continue to advocate for political action preceding next week’s midterms. As for Union Temple, they are speaking out against anti-Semitism by starting a movement to #ShowUpForShabbat in spite of the hate crime. The suspect behind the vandalism is still at-large.