Authorities are investigating after chilling antisemitic graffiti was discovered in a Manhattan park. The message — reading “Kill a Jew, go to heaven” — was scrawled on a boulder in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side, one of New York City’s most heavily Jewish neighborhoods.

Micah Lasher, the Jewish New York State assemblyman who represents the area, said the New York Police Department and the city’s Parks Department are working to investigate the incident and remove the graffiti.

“This is in the park where I raised my kids, in one of the most Jewish neighborhoods in the city,” Lasher said in a statement. Lasher, who is currently running for Congress, condemned the message and called for swift action.

The discovery comes at a time of continued concern over antisemitism both in New York City and across the United States. Jewish residents and community leaders say rhetoric connected to anti-Israel activism has become increasingly extreme in recent months, while antisemitic incidents — including threats and assaults — have continued to surface.

Statistics from New York City law enforcement have consistently shown that Jews are the most frequent targets of hate crimes in the city, accounting for a larger share of reported incidents than any other group.

Residents on the Upper West Side say antisemitic vandalism has become a troubling recurring problem in the neighborhood. Swastika graffiti has periodically appeared on sidewalks, buildings, and other public spaces in the area, which has long been home to a large Jewish population.

The Riverside Park incident is not the only recent example of antisemitic messaging appearing in public spaces.

Over the weekend, graffiti discovered at San Jose State University in California called for the “eradication of Jews” and included messages such as “Kill all Jews.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)