Israeli business owner in Florida speaks after several Jewish establishments tagged with antisemitic graffiti
FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. - An Israeli business owner in Flagler Beach is speaking out after a man left antisemitic graffiti outside his store and other Jewish-owned businesses. Police are still searching for the suspect.
Tomer Oshri woke up Sunday to find the spray paint on his flag outside the Salty Turtle. He thinks the suspect targeted Jewish businesses.
"He knows that I’m from Israel, and he knows that I am Jewish," Oshri said.
The store's security camera shows the suspect apparently running out of spray paint on the building. Photographs show the words left on a building down the street that houses Oshri's other shop, and that he says has a Jewish owner.
An Israeli business owner in Flagler Beach is speaking out after a man left antisemitic graffiti outside his store and other Jewish-owned businesses. Police are still searching for the suspect.
A nearby bank, which Oshri says also has a Jewish owner, had a similar message spray-painted on it. Oshri says he's still reeling from the start of the war. His family in Israel had to take shelter when it started, and now his 21-year-old son is fighting against Hamas. He says this isn't the first time he has experienced something like this.
"Two years ago in the summer, I had a person stand in front of my store in front of the pier and just chanted something in Arabic that says, ‘Slaughter all the Jews,’" Oshri said.
An Israeli business owner in Flagler Beach is speaking out after a man left antisemitic graffiti outside his store and other Jewish-owned businesses. Police are still searching for the suspect.
Oshri's other children work at the store and were also born in Israel. They hope people their age will see what happened and pay attention to what's going on.
"When people use social media as their main news outlet, it’s very easy to get manipulated and not even understand completely what’s going on," said Ella Oshri.
"These people always have existed, they will always exist, but we’re not going to let it get to us," Guy Oshri said.
Tomer Oshri believes the suspect lives in the area. Flagler Beach Police are asking anyone who recognizes him to reach out.