(JTA) — The Anti-Defamation League is offering a reward in the vandalism of a billboard featuring NBA player Omri Casspi.
The $1,000 reward, announced Tuesday by the ADL, is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever painted a swastika on the billboard of Casspi, a forward for the Sacramento Kings and the first Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association.
The swastika, painted on the forehead of Casspi’s photo, was reported on Sept. 8, the eve of Rosh Hashanah.
"The defacement of Omri Casspi’s likeness with a swastika — an ugly symbol of hate — is disturbing and an affront to the Jewish community and the Sacramento community at large, which has welcomed Israeli-born Casspi with open arms," said Dan Sandman, the director of ADL’s Central Pacific Region, which includes Sacramento. "ADL is in contact with the Sacramento Police Department, which is appropriately investigating the incident as a possible hate crime."
Casspi called the incident "hurtful" in an interview with the Sacramento Bee.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
