News Brief

The Jewish cemetery in the Ukrainian city of Zhitomir was vandalized.

Unidentified vandals forced open the front door of the Ohel of Tzadik Rabbi Aharon from Zhitomir, a student of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov.

Swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans were spray-painted on the walls and ceiling of the Ohel.

The vandalism took place within the last two weeks. Local police are investigating the case, but no arrests have been reported.

Acts of anti-Semitism in Zhitomir have been occurring almost monthly this year, but local Jewish leaders told JTA they are not sure that this is an act of anti-Semitism or, more likely, “vandalism organized by hobos or drug addicts.”

Former chess champion Garry Kasparov was arrested after leading a protest to Moscow’s federal election authority offices.

Kasparov was sentenced Saturday to five days in jail for holding an unauthorized march. He had been on his way to give election officials a letter claiming that the upcoming Russian elections are biased toward President Vladimir Putin.

Kasparov is the presidential candidate for the opposition Other Russia coalition. He was arrested at a demonstration in April, when he was levied a fine but no jail time.

On Sunday, Kremlin riot police broke up an anti-Putin rally near the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.