Effy’s Café, a popular Israeli restaurant on the Upper West Side, was victimized over the weekend by vandals who spray-painted anti-Israeli graffiti all over the façade and sidewalk. The hate messages, which were pro-Palestinian, included “Free Gaza” and “Form line here to support genocide.”
The graffiti was discovered early Sunday morning by the restaurant’s manager when she arrived to open the café for breakfast. The initial reaction of the woman, named Ben Zara, was one of shock.
But the most meaningful response to the affront came from local residents, who showed up at Effy’s with resolve — not to eat, but to help scrub away the filth. One man who brought along rubber gloves told the Daily News, “It’s very disheartening because the thinking behind it, what I saw written, the pictures they took say, ‘Free Gaza.’ Well, that’s a big issue that doesn’t get resolved by throwing paint on a place or writing words.”
Another told reporters, “I think it is going to actually accomplish the opposite of what they think. We bond together. We unify when there is adversity. So, this is just going to offer another seed to encourage more unity. And more, you know, solidarity against this kind of treatment.”
See also…
Recently Opened Israeli Restaurant Target of Anti-Semitic F-Bombs
