D.C. police and the owner of a kosher restaurant disagree over the motivation behind a recent act of vandalism which occurred on the anniversary of a Nazi pogrom.
Police are investigating vandalism at Char Bar, a kosher restaurant in Northwest Washington, after its windows were shattered early on November 9—the anniversary of Kristallnacht. Translating to "the night of broken glass," Kristallnacht was the 1938 Nazi-led pogrom targeting Jewish businesses and homes.
Officers arrived around 3 a.m. to find two broken windows and rocks on the sidewalk but found no signs of forced entry according to Fox 5.
"Detectives are continuing to investigate," police said in a statement, "But at this point there is no information or evidence that this offense was motivated by hate or bias," police said in a statement.
While police are no longer investigating the incident as a hate crime, the timing and specificity of the attack has raised concerns within the Jewish community.
"This vandalism of a Jewish business is deeply disturbing on its own. Its timing on the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht raises many more questions and concerns that must be answered," the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington told Fox 5.
Michael Chelst, owner of Char Bar, expressed the emotional toll its taken on staff, as well as gratitude for the community that has rallied around the establishment.
"We serve the Jewish community... It's a passion project for me," Chelst told Fox 5. "It's sad but it's the reality of life here in America and unfortunately elsewhere in the world."
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