This summer, a woman was arrested and charged with a hate crime for spray painting the home of the Jewish head of the Brooklyn Museum with red paint.
New York City Police said Wednesday that 28-year-old Taylor Pelton was charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime in connection with the attack in June.
During the attack, red paint was splattered on the front door and side of the house of Anne Pasternak, head of the Brooklyn Museum.
Five people in masks and all black were seen on surveillance video scrubbing the patio and holding up a banner with the director’s name on it. “Blood on Your Hands” was written in stencils on the ground as well.
A criminal charge in the case said that Pelton and five other people who have not been caught were seen on video getting into a red Honda Fit after 2 a.m. on June 12 while carrying several black bags.
Two homes, those of Anne Pasternak and Kimberly Panicek Trueblood, president and chief operating officer of the Brooklyn Museum, were broken into and defaced by thieves caught on video.
When the police went to Pasternak’s house, they saw red paint on the front of the building and in the courtyard. There were also red hand prints and a sign that said, “Anne Pasternak Brooklyn Museum White-Supremacist, Funds Genocide.”
At the time, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander put up pictures of doors covered in red paint and hate speech.
At the time, senior police sources said they were looking for about 15 people because homes had been sprayed or thrown with red paint several times in the city. People whose homes were affected were on the board of the museum.
Pelton went to Kings County Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty. She was then freed on terms that she couldn’t get money.
On Oct. 30, she has to go back to court. She was asked for a response by her lawyer by NBC News.
The Brooklyn Museum told NBC News on Friday, “We are aware that the District Attorney has filed criminal charges against a person who is suspected of taking part in the vandalism on June 12 at the homes of several Brooklyn Museum leaders.” Those who are impacted are helping the police.
The leaders of the museum said it’s “crucial to distinguish between peaceful protest and criminal acts,” and they pointed out that the museum has a long history of backing artists’ right to free speech.
“Our vision remains rooted in the belief that art fosters dialogue and mutual understanding among people with diverse experiences and perspectives.”
Since the Hamas-Israel war started, there have been protests and rallies all over the world, even on U.S. college campuses. There has also been an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic events and harassment in the United States.
