The New York City Police Department is investigating an antisemitic message scrawled on the seat of a city bus after a passenger reported the graffiti, The Messenger has confirmed.
Passenger Talea Wufka shared an image of the hateful message, which read “Gas the Jews” on X (formerly Twitter), on Wednesday.
The photo was sent to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which then removed the bus from circulation to remove the message, according to the New York Post.
Wufka, who is Jewish, reported the incident to the NYPD after being encouraged by her Democratic District leader, Hiram Monserrate, the Post reported.
“This incident impacted Ms. Wufka greatly, and she was understandably distraught,” Monserrate told the outlet. “We see hatred and confusion on our televisions every day.”
In an email to The Messenger, the NYPD said the department’s Hate Crime Task Force was notified of the incident and an investigation is underway.
No arrests have yet been made, though a criminal mischief complaint has been filed. The bus was traveling eastbound in Jackson Heights, Queens when the graffiti was reported, according to the Post.