Police investigating antisemitic and racist stickers found throughout Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police are investigating antisemitic and racist stickers discovered throughout the city's neighborhood with the largest Jewish population in addition to other areas.

The stickers, plastered on light poles near the busy intersection of Murray and Forbes avenues in Squirrel Hill, contained images of swastikas and derogatory statements such as "Jews control pornography," and "Next time no more Mr. Nice Guy," which were accompanied by images of Adolf Hitler, according to photos provided to the Post-Gazette from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, which tracks antisemitic incidents.

The stickers also targeted Black communities, with one depicting a Black person holding a gun standing beside a Jewish person holding dollar bills, captioned "N****, Jews Bad News!"

A Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh member reported three of the stickers to police on Sunday, said Public Safety spokesperson Cara Cruz. Flyers of an "antisemitic nature" left at a woman's residence in the 200 block of South Winebiddle Street in Bloomfield were also reported, she said.

In a statement condemning the "anti-Jewish, neo-Nazi messaging," Councilperson Barb Warwick, who represents Squirrel Hill, wrote on Monday that the Jewish Federation and police have gathered "more than 20 such reports" of hate-filled stickers.

Cruz said while there may be informal reports of instances discussed online, no additional incidents have been reported to police.

No arrests have been made.

Shawn Brokos, director of community security at the Jewish Federation, said the stickers are a reminder to the Jewish community of the spike in antisemitism seen nationwide. "The way I describe what our community seems to be going through is just a perpetual series of crises," she said.

The stickers appeared just days after a group of masked individuals reportedly marched through a central business area in Columbus, Ohio, holding swastika flags, ABC News reported. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates condemned the incident on Monday and said President Joe Biden "abhors the hateful poison of Nazism, Antisemitism, and racism."

Such incidents have also been reported in Pittsburgh. In September, Pittsburgh police officers found Nazi banners strung from several of the city's bridges, one day after a University of Pittsburgh student was attacked off-campus in an alleged antisemitic assault.

"In 2022, we had 122 incidents reported to us, and in 2023, we saw a spike — 300 incidents reported to us," Brokos said. "This year, we're on par to surpass that."

In her statement, Warwick called the spike in incidents of anti-Jewish vandalism and harassment throughout the city alarming and urged the public to report any additional posters found that promote "hate of any kind." She said city's leaders are committed to protecting the safety and well-being of every resident.

Images of the stickers were widely circulated on social media, sparking outrage from community members. The Pittsburgh chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR-Pittsburgh, a chapter of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, also condemned "the distribution of antisemitic neo-Nazi propaganda."

"[We] urge political and religious leaders to speak out against this and all other forms of bigotry and attempts to divide our society," Executive Director Christine Mohamed wrote in a statement.