PHILADELPHIA (VINnews) – Philadelphia police have released photos of a man suspected of vandalizing the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History for the second time in a year.

The incident occurred around 8:10 a.m. Friday in the 100 block of South Independence Mall in Old City. Police said the man wrote an antisemitic message on the OY/YO sculpture outside the museum.

Surveillance video allegedly shows the suspect, described as between 50 and 60 years old, heavily tattooed and wearing a white tank top, khaki shorts and red-and-white Nike Air Jordans, defacing the statue before entering the 5th Street SEPTA station via the southeast stairs.

The graffiti has been removed, but community leaders said the impact extends beyond the physical damage.

“This is incredibly frustrating, but unfortunately not surprising,” said Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. He noted that the repeated targeting of the museum reflects a broader trend, citing 80 incidents of vandalism recorded in Pennsylvania in 2025 compared with 29 in 2022.

State Rep. Tarik Khan, who reported the incident to police, 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.”

The latest episode comes nearly one year after another suspect spray-painted the museum’s facade, plaza and an Israeli flag.

Goretsky outlined steps he said are needed to combat hate: public condemnation by leaders, individuals reporting incidents rather than remaining silent, and greater education to counter disinformation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Central Detective Division at 215-686-3047 or 215-686-3048.