Police arrested on Wednesday a woman connected to a series of brazen antisemitic vandalism incidents across Manhattan and Brooklyn last month.
Taylor Pelton, 28, of Astoria, Queens was charged for her alleged role in the four incidents targeting the homes of Jewish members of the Brooklyn Museum board, including its director, Anne Pasternak.
Sources familiar with the case said that Peloton allegedly acted as the getaway driver in the spree.
Outside of Pasternak’s Brooklyn Heights home, the vandals splattered red paint over the entrance and hung a sign reading, “Anne Pasternak Brooklyn Museum White Supremacist Zionist,” disturbing some who lived there.
“We’re a Jewish family that lives in the building,” the resident said at the time of the incident, who preferred to remain anonymous. “It feels terrible, and it felt very pointedly Jewish.”
Following an investigation, the NYPD Warrant Squad cuffed Pelton at her home at 6:30 a.m. on July 31. Later that afternoon, detectives escorted her out of the 7th Precinct stationhouse in Manhattan as she wore a face mask — remaining silent as she was sent on her way to Manhattan Criminal Court for arraignment.
At the time, the spate of hate crimes were denounced by locals but also elected officials.
“This is not peaceful protest or free speech,” Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X. “This is a crime, and it’s overt, unacceptable antisemitism. These actions will never be tolerated in New York City for any reason. I’m sorry to Anne Pasternak and member of the the Brooklyn Museum’s board who woke up to hatred like this.”
Pelton is charged with two counts of hate crime criminal mischief.
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