Public menorah found vandalized on first day of Hanukkah in Gig Harbor, police say

A menorah was found vandalized in Uptown Gig Harbor, Washington, at the start of Hanukkah, sparking an investigation of the incident as a malicious mischief offense and potential hate crime, according to police.

Light bulbs were broken off and the structure was partially bent, one volunteer for the Chabad of Pierce County Center for Jewish Life discovered on Dec. 25, the first day of Hanukkah this year. The menorah, which was set up the day before, is one of six public menorahs the organization set up across the county this year, according to Rabbi Mendel Kesselman, director of Chabad of Pierce County.

Police were aware something had happened but didn’t receive a report until Monday afternoon, after which they opened an investigation which remains ongoing, according to Gig Harbor Police Lt. Fred Douglas.

Kesselman said they weren’t able to file the report right away because of a packed schedule in the days following, with four other Hanukkah celebrations to lead across Pierce County between then and Monday.

The Kitsap Sun reported that the first public menorah lighting in Gig Harbor occurred Dec. 16, 2009, in the Uptown Gig Harbor outdoor pavilion. Chabad of Pierce County has continued the tradition in Gig Harbor for several years.

At the Sunday evening menorah lighting in Skansie Brothers Park, Kesselman felt the support of the Gig Harbor community for their Jewish neighbors with a larger crowd of attendees than usual.

“It seemed to me there was definitely a push from the community to come out and support goodness and kindness, and send a message that we don’t allow hatred in the community,” he said.

He emphasized his desire to focus on the positive in keeping with the meaning of Hanukkah, which is also called the Festival of Lights. The eight-day winter holiday commemorates the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees.

“Every one of us is a candle and our job is to make this world a brighter place … One small candle pushes away much darkness,” Kesselman said. “We need to constantly remember that.”

Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber was also at the Skansie Brothers Park menorah lighting event. She told The News Tribune via phone Tuesday that she doesn’t want the vandalism incident to negate the support that “the vast majority of the community has for each other” and for the Jewish community.

“When I first heard (about the incident), I was horrified that something like this could happen in our community, because I consider Gig Harbor and the surrounding areas to be an extremely welcoming community and hate has no place anywhere,” Barber said.

Given the targeting of a religious symbol, the incident could be considered a hate crime if police identify a suspect and determine that they acted because of their perception of another person’s religion, Gig Harbor Police Lt. Douglas said.

“It’s definitely in consideration,” he said.

Asked if police have any good leads, Douglas said they don’t have any clear information about the suspect at this time. A police officer checked the area around the vandalized menorah to see if any surveillance video could have captured the suspect or a suspect vehicle, but there aren’t any cameras covering that spot, according to Douglas.

Police are looking for witnesses who saw the incident to come forward.

“If someone has information, we would be anxious to get that information,” he said, and anyone who does can call the police department to be directed to the detective working on the case.

The Revised Code of Washington’s definition of a hate crime includes causing “physical damage to or destruction of the property of another” because of a “perception of another person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, or mental, physical, or sensory disability.”