Deerfield Village Hall was defaced with antisemitic vandalism, village officials said, less than a week after a swastika was found on a playground slide at a park in nearby Highland Park.
The Village of Deerfield said in a statement Monday afternoon that the Village Hall, located at 850 Waukegan Road, was defaced overnight Sunday into Monday. It was quickly removed once it was discovered.
The building is also home to the Deerfield Police Department.
The village did not say what the vandalism depicted, where on the building it was found or who discovered it.
“The Village of Deerfield unequivocally condemns all acts of antisemitism and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community,” the village said.
“Antisemitic acts of hate have no place in Deerfield or anywhere. As community leaders, it is vital to reiterate our unflinching support for our Jewish neighbors, as well as our commitment to taking every step to protect public safety,” the village said in the statement.
“Public safety is our top priority. The Village takes incidents like this very seriously, and is working to investigate,” the village said.
The village said the Deerfield Police Department “keeps a close watch on public buildings and houses of worship.”
The village shared a photo alongside the statement showing a “Hate Has No Home Here” sign in the landscaping outside Village Hall.
The incident comes after the Highland Park Police Department responded last Tuesday afternoon to Devonshire Park, 1060 Devonshire Court, where a community member found a playground slide defaced with a swastika.
Park District of Highland Park personnel removed the graffiti and police instituted a close watch on parks and houses of worship, Highland Park officials said.
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said at the time that “hate has no home” in Highland Park and that the incident had “once again shaken many of us.”
“This incident comes at a particularly meaningful time for our Jewish community, as families move from the solemn reflection of the High Holy Days into the joyful preparations for Sukkot,” Rotering said.
Rotering said antisemitism is rising “not only across the world, but here at home.”
It is unclear whether investigators believe the two incidents are connected.
No arrests or charges have been announced in either incident.