Sun-Sentinel: News Local -
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Published on: 5/7/2002
Last Visited: 5/7/2002
Ray White, commander of the Jewish War Veterans Post 266, attributed the monument's damage to anti-Semitism.
"There is a VFW monument in front of it, in the same square, and it wasn't touched, which would make one believe that it was an anti-Semitic crime," he said.
Messer disagreed.
"We can't consider every crime a hate crime based purely on ethnicity," he said."To be considered a hate crime, we have to understand and prove the intent of the person committing the crime.It is being considered vandalism.If we find otherwise, then we will charge them accordingly."
White said he doesn't think the monument will require major repairs, although he is waiting to hear from the monument company and Delray Beach about restoring it.
"The person I spoke to from the city said they would have it back up for us before Memorial Day, and we're very appreciative of that," White said.