A Capital One Bank branch in the Upper East Side was vandalized with pro-Palestinian messages Monday — and the group behind the vandalism has already claimed credit.
Although much of the damage has been cleaned up, but you can still see the boarded up windows where someone shattered the glass and spray painted pro-Palestinian messaging at the Capital One Bank on East 86th Street and 2nd Avenue.
“It’s disgusting. I don’t understand people that they’re okay doing this,” Iance Robinson, an Upper East Side resident said.
“It doesn’t make me angry, actually, because there’s been anti-semitism all our lives. And I think personally, us as jews have handled it well,” Robinson, who happens to be Jewish, said.
The NYPD said the act of vandalism happened around 7:40 a.m. Responding officers met with graffiti reading “Pal Action” and “Drop Elbit” — alluding to the israel-based defense technology company “Elbit Systems.”
The pro-Palestinian group “Palestine Action” has railed against Elbit for its role in the conflict in Gaza and companies such as Capital One that it does business with.
The group, which was designated as a terror organization in August by the Trump administration told NBC 4 New York in a statement that it claims credit for what happened.
“Today our actionists showed capital one the price of their complicity in genocide. Do business with Elbit, and we will cost you money,” the statement read in part.
People on the Upper East Side shared that they were stunned by the vandalism.
“It reminds me of Germany in the 30’s. This is how it starts. It’s disconcerting,” Ken Jacoby, who lives in the Upper East side, said.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin called the actions of the group disturbing and is now pushing for a speedy investigation by the NYPD.
“It’s completely unacceptable,” Menin said. “This is vandalism that’s being investigated as a hate crime. The windows were all shattered. It’s completely unacceptable that this is happening in our city. It has to stop.”
The vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
Capital One has not responded to request for comment.
The investigation is ongoing.