Cedarhurst, NY – Long Island Teen Arrested For Drawing Swastikas On Cedarhurst Sidewalks

Cedarhurst, NY – A Lawrence teenager was arrested on Sunday by Nassau County Police Department for drawing two swastikas on the sidewalk in a heavily Orthodox section of Cedarhurst almost two weeks ago.

17 year old Carlos A. Rivera of Central Avenue was arrested by members of the Fourth Squad of the NCPD in connection with the incident which took place on March 7th. Police said that Rivera was walking on Oxford Road when he found a piece of chalk on the ground, using it to draw swastikas in front of two different homes.

Police were called to the scene after parents were alerted to the anti-Semitic graffiti by their children who saw the swastika on their way to school according to CBS News. A man who lives in a home just feet away from one of the swastikas described the incident as upsetting.

“My wife’s parents were the only survivors of a very large family from the Holocaust,” said the man, who asked not to be identified. “Even though it was a long time ago, it’s very real to us.”

A second swastika was found two blocks away. Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky rushed to the scene and washed the swastika away with a bucket of water and a scrub brush.

Detectives canvassed the area looking for surveillance footage and arrested Rivera at his home on Sunday evening. He was charged with two counts of Aggravated Harassment and was ordered to return to court on April 13th.

Kaminsky commended police for their swift apprehension of the suspect, noting that hatred and anti-Semitism are not welcome in the area.

“This is a hate crime and anyone perpetrating such a horrific act should be charged to the fullest extent of the law,” said Kaminsky.