A woman and two men have been indicted in connection to a series of anti-Semitic incidents targeting members of the Brooklyn Museum’s board of directors, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Monday.
The 25-count indictment charges the defendants with hate crimes and vandalism in Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, and Manhattan’s Lenox Hill.
The defendants — Taylor Pelton of Queens and Samuel Seligson and Gabriel Schubiner of Brooklyn — face multiple charges, including making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, criminal mischief, and conspiracy.
Schubiner was arraigned on Nov. 4 before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun and released without bail, while Seligson and Pelton are expected to be arraigned next week.
In a statement, Gonzalez expressed concern over the nature of the alleged crimes.
“Acts of vandalism that target individuals in their own homes are a deeply disturbing violation meant to intimidate, terrorize, and instill fear,” the DA said. “These defendants allegedly targeted museum board members with threats and anti-Semitic graffiti based on their perceived heritage.”
According to the District Attorney’s office, the trio was allegedly captured on surveillance footage gathering supplies in Crown Heights on June 12, 2024, before targeting the homes of individuals affiliated with the Brooklyn Museum. Evidence indicates they tried to conceal their identities by painting over security cameras during the acts of vandalism.
One incident reportedly involved defacing a board member’s residence with red paint, graffiti that read “Brooklyn Museum, blood on your hands,” and a banner accusing her of “blood on your hands, war crimes, funds genocide.” The suspects allegedly painted red, inverted triangles at the scene, symbols reportedly associated with Hamas, an Islamic resistance group. Police found a stencil at the site with Schubiner’s fingerprint on it.
The group allegedly continued their vandalism campaign by targeting the executive director’s residence with similarly inflammatory messages before traveling to Lenox Hill, where they defaced another board member’s home.
Pro-Palestinian protests broke out at the Brooklyn Museum earlier this year, including a demonstration that led to arrests and forced the museum to close early, according to Reuters.
Mayor Eric Adams and Sen. Chuck Schumer previously condemned the attacks on the Brooklyn Museum and its Jewish director, Anne Pasternak, according to the Associated Press.
This is not peaceful protest or free speech. This is a crime, and it’s overt, unacceptable antisemitism.
These actions will never be tolerated in New York City for any reason. I’m sorry to Anne Pasternak and members of @brooklynmuseum‘s board who woke up to hatred like this.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 12, 2024
“These actions are not protests; they are hate crimes, and we are deeply committed to holding accountable anyone who uses such unlawful tactics in Brooklyn,” Gonzalez said, adding that the case highlights ongoing tensions related to anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim acts in New York.
The defendants face serious legal repercussions as the DA’s office promises to pursue justice.
