SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The owner of a San Francisco ice cream shop that was vandalized with pro-Palestinian graffiti last week said the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. Smitten Ice Cream in SF’s Mission District was vandalized and graffitied last Wednesday.
The front windows of the shop were shattered and the shop was vandalized for “unknown reasons,” the San Francisco Police Department said at the time. However, according to a report in Mission Local, the vandalism included graffiti that read “FREE PALESTIEN,” with a misspelling of “Palestine.”
“The graffiti suggests that the shop was targeted because I am Jewish,” wrote Smitten owner Robyn Sue Fisher in a post on Instagram, “and it is currently being investigated by authorities as a hate crime.”
“When I learned what happened at the store and saw the shattered and graffitied glass, I initially felt only fear and deep sadness,” wrote Fisher, who had initially cast doubt on whether the SF location would reopen.
In her Instagram post Tuesday, she confirmed that it would.
“We cannot know what was in the mind of the unknown individual or individuals who inflicted this severe damage to our store,” she wrote. “What we do know is that, since the attack happened, hundreds upon hundreds of people in our community and across the country have reached out in solidarity and support.”
“We are working to reopen Smitten’s doors to all people as a place to come together, to connect with open hearts, and to help spread love across this city … and beyond,” she continued.
Smitten began operating as a food cart in the Mission District back in 2009. Since then, it has expanded with locations in San Jose and Las Vegas as well as the flagship store in SF.
KRON4 has reached out to SFPD to confirm whether the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. We are awaiting a response.