Los Angeles, CA, May 3, 2007…The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today decried the vandalism of Los Angeles City Councilmember Jack Weiss's San Fernando Valley office.  His office was defaced with swastikas and anti-Semitic writings.

Such hate has no place here in Los Angeles and runs counter to our city's values of acceptance and respect for differences.

"Crimes such as this don't merely deface one building, they degrade our entire community," said ADL Regional Director Amanda Susskind.

The most recent Hate Crimes Report released by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations for 2005 shows that Jews continue to be the most frequently targeted religious group, now accounting for 81% of religious-based hate crimes.  This report is consistent with the California Attorney General's report for 2005 that also shows Jews accounting for nearly 69% of all religion-motivated hate crimes in the state.

ADL's 2006 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents showed that anti-Semitic hate crimes and incidents continue to be a serious problem locally and

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.