Seawright Office Vandalized Again

The Assembly Member’s campaign posters defaced with anti-Semitic message amid re-election.

| 06 Nov 2020 | 03:00

Police are investigating instances of vandalism aimed at Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright’s office this week, which follow a similar incident in August.

On Election Day, Tuesday, police received a report alleging that an unknown male defaced a campaign poster located on the corner of York Avenue and 78th Street with the words “Baptise the Bitch and Her Rabbi” — seemingly misspelling the word “baptize.” A second poster was reported to police displaying the words “Baptise the Bitch.” The Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the vandalism as a possible bias incident, as well as an act of criminal mischief.

Two days later, on Thursday, brown paint was found splattered across the storefront window of Seawright’s district office on York Avenue between 78th and 79th Streets. The police are investigating this incident as well, according to Seawright’s office.

“This is our constituent services district office which serves our community all year round. It is a despicable act of cowardice. We will not be intimidated,” Seawright said in a statement.

Seawright’s office was the scene of a similar crime in August. Her office was splashed with white paint and an anti-Semitic and misogynist note was left outside. An Upper East Side man later admitted to committing the crime, telling the New York Post he felt wronged by the assembly member and displeased that she mentioned a local synagogue in fundraising materials. The individual involved in that incident was arrested by NYPD and charged with criminal mischief.

No suspects have been arrested in this week’s incidents.

Earlier this week, Seawright was re-elected to the Assembly in a contested race against Republican Louis Puliafito. Absentee ballots have not yet been counted, but the incumbent holds a margin of victory of about 3,000 votes and believes those absentee ballots will expand her total number of votes.