PHILADELPHIA (VINnews) — The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History was vandalized for the second time in a year, renewing concerns among Jewish leaders as antisemitic incidents continue.

Philadelphia police said a man wrote an antisemitic message on the OY/YO sculpture outside the Old City museum shortly before 8:15 p.m. Thursday. The graffiti has been removed, but community leaders said the impact extends beyond physical damage.

On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia was vandalized with an antisemitic inscription, marking the second time the institution has been targeted within a year. pic.twitter.com/ug9flzsR23

— Matt Robinson (@mattrobinson) August 15, 2026

Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the repeated targeting of the museum reflects a troubling trend.

“This is incredibly frustrating, but unfortunately not surprising,” he said.

State Rep. Tarik Khan reported the incident to police.

“It just turned my stomach,” he said. “Whether you’re Jewish or not, I think people realize that we must stand out against hate in our community. We can’t tolerate hate, and when we see something that’s wrong, we have to stand up.”

Nearly one year ago, a suspect spray-painted the museum’s facade, plaza and an Israeli flag.

Goretsky said the broader rise in vandalism is alarming. He noted that Pennsylvania recorded 80 incidents of vandalism in 2025, compared with 29 in 2022.

“As a Jewish community, we are not going to hide who we are, and we are going to continue to survive and thrive despite these targeted attacks,” he said.

Goretsky outlined three steps he believes are essential to combating hate: leaders must speak out and condemn the behavior, individuals must report incidents rather than sit on the sidelines, and people must educate themselves against disinformation and misinformation.

Police said they have surveillance footage of the suspect committing the vandalism and later boarding a train at a nearby station. Anyone with information is asked to contact authorities.