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Hoffman sent her first message to Walgreens on Dec. 20 and received a fast response. However, when a few days passed and the swastika was still up she sent another message. Again she received a fast response apologizing and indicating action. She went out of town and when she returned in early January she saw it was still there. This continued several more times.

On Jan. 13 Hoffman received a call from a store employee who was looking for the swastika in the parking lot, so she directed them to it. Hoffman thought it would be removed, however a piece of paper was placed over it. This paper remained until she left town on Jan. 19. When she returned on Jan. 23the paper was gone and the swastika as well.

“I was relieved,” she said about finding it gone and repaired. “It should have happened sooner but at least it happened.”

“Antisemitic incidents reached an all-time high in the United States in 2021, with a total of 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism reported to ADL (the Anti-Defamation League). This represents the highest number of incidents on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979 – an average of more than seven incidents per day and a 34 percent increase year over year. “ – ADL website

“It is vandalism,” said Officer Drake Madison of the LAPD Media Relations Division. I contacted their offices about it and asked him what people should do if they find something like this.

“On private property it’s up to those people to remove it,” Officer Madison said. “However, wherever it is, graffiti should be taken down. It sends a message. There’s a graffiti removal services hotline in Los Angeles. It can come down fast. It’s through 311.”

While Hoffman is relieved it’s no longer up, she told me it’s not the only local incident.  Another swastika was seen on a nearby bus stop and the words ‘Nazi’ and ‘Anarchy’ on an on-ramp to the 101 Freeway.

When I told Madison about this he mentioned Senior Lead Officers. If citizens or a community are concerned about a safety issue these officers in their area can help. They are responsible for certain areas of divisions, so people can get to know their local officers and speak with them about their concerns.

“Antisemitic incidents in the US surged 57% in 2017, the Anti-Defamation League said on Tuesday, the largest year-on-year increase since the Jewish civil rights group began collecting data in 1979.

Close to 2,000 cases of harassment, vandalism and physical assault were recorded, the highest number of antisemitic incidents since 1994, it said.” — The Guardian, February 27, 2018