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Woodland Hills Temple Covered With Hate Graffiti

WOODLAND HILLS (CBSLA) – Swastikas and other graffiti were found on Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills earlier this week, and authorities are investigating the actions as a hate crime, it was reported Thursday.

The vandalism, which also included the writing of a gang name and a profane drawing, occurred between late Sunday evening and early Monday morning near the street on a sign, and on a guard shack at the entrance of the synagogue, the Daily News reported.

"It's a symbol normally used for hate purposes placed on a Jewish temple," Los Angeles Police Department Detective Nick Abbinanti told the newspaper.

While authorities have no suspect information, they did find similar tagging in the area a few miles away on an alley wall in the West Hills area.

In a statement, Temple Aliyah officials said the guard shack was "desecrated with tagging that included swastikas."

"We immediately contacted the LAPD ... and before parents and children could arrive for school, our security team inspected the synagogue grounds to ensure the safety of our children," the statement said. "The offensive symbols and other taggings have already been removed."

Officials also said they had contacted the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federation's Security Division.

"Temple Aliyah is our sacred home and this act of vandalism, even if just a teenage prank, is a violation and desecration," the statement said. "It raises concerns regarding anti-Semitism in our community and for our own safety, in particular, our children."

(©2017 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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