Newly released surveillance video captured the moment when a man vandalized a menorah outside the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s office.
According to Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, the incident happened days after the first-ever Hanukkah ceremony was launched at the downtown Miami office.
In the surveillance video, a man wearing a backpack is seen walking up to the large menorah, grabs it and tosses it on the ground.
The man then left the area.
Fernandez said the menorah’s bulbs were ripped from their sockets.
He released a statement that reads in part:
“This despicable act of vandalism against our menorah is an attack on the values of faith, perseverance, and unity that Hanukkah represents and that we celebrated together just days ago. We unequivocally stand with the Jewish community in Miami-Dade County and across the nation. Hate has no home here. Light will always prevail over darkness, and we will not be intimidated. The only way to fight darkness is with light, and I will do that every single day of my life.”
NBC6 has reached out to authorities for more information.