WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Last Friday, DC Police responded to the 1000 block of Brentwood Road in Northeast, D.C. to investigate what looks like anti-Semitic graffiti.
They found the message, “I want Jexit," spray-painted on the driveway of Shalom Auto Service Center.
One of the owners said the message had been there for a while – maybe two months.
Gilbert Kamda and his father own the Shalom Auto Service Center.
“I thought it was just construction work,” Kamda said, pointing to the construction-related spray paint running up and down the sidewalk on Brentwood Road NE.
That’s why Kamda said he and his father never really gave this message any thought. They also didn’t know what "Jexit” means.
The graffiti outside of their business was one of three “We want Jexit” messages found along Brentwood Road NE last Friday. A WUSA9 news camera was there as police investigated.
Someone had called it in that morning.
DC Police confirmed on Tuesday, this is the fifth area to be investigated for this message, since at least December. They’re finding a lot of this graffiti in Northeast, D.C.
Three police reports obtained show similar graffiti was found at the following locations:
- 1000 block of Bunker Hill Rd. NE
- 1000 block of Michigan Ave. NE
- 1000 block of Perry Ave NE
- 3900 block of 12 St. NE
- 1000 block of Brentwood Rd. NE
- 900 block of Brentwood Rd. NE
DC police don’t exactly know what it means. They are working closely with the ADL or Anti-Defamation League to determine whether hate or bias was behind these incidents.
The ADL issued group issued the following statement:
“Washington, D.C. January 18, 2019…In response to multiple appearances of graffiti with the word “Jexit” appearing across Washington, DC, ADL has been working closely with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to investigate the source of and meaning behind the graffiti. While potentially anti-Semitic, ADL is not aware of evidence at this time that these acts were inspired by anti-Semitic animus. We are aware that in some places on-line the term has been used as a portmanteau of the words ‘Jew’ and ‘exit,’ suggesting Jews should leave the Democratic Party. ADL will continue to support MPD in the investigation of these incidents for bias-intent.”
The owners of Shalom Auto Service Center aren’t even Jewish – but chose a Jewish name on purpose.
“To me, I like to say Shalom, that’s peace …” said Casimir Kamda.
“We are all strangers in this country. We all fight for betterment of our kids future – but making Jewish people feel like they’re not home is not a good thing. I’m a stranger myself here. (Yeah, I was going to ask you) I’m originally from Cameroon,” said Kamda’s son, Gilbert Kamda.
DC Police said the following on Tuesday:
“We recognize that regardless of the meaning of the graffiti or the intent of the offender, it is causing concern in the community and there is a perception that it may be anti-Semitic. MPD wants to reassure the community that we and the Bowser Administration are taking this very seriously. The Mayor’s Director of Religious Affairs, and Monica Palacio, the Director of Human Rights, are speaking with members of the community. We will continue to investigate this and ask that anyone with information about the graffiti contact us.”
Other hate investigations around the D.C.-area include a Swastika found late last month at Richard Montgomery High School.
In Virginia, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office discovered over 80 KKK fliers over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.