An individual in Anchorage, Alaska, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for vandalizing a local Jewish museum and several other locations with swastikas. Luke Foster, the perpetrator,
went on a vandalism spree in 2021, defacing the Alaska Jewish Museum with stickers bearing swastikas and the disturbing phrase "WE ARE EVERYWHERE." He also carved a swastika into the side of the building and distributed the offensive stickers at seven other locations in town, including a gay nightclub.
Federal authorities first identified Foster through unrelated activities related to the online sale of hallucinogenic mushrooms. A search of his home later revealed neo-Nazi material and evidence linking him to the acts of vandalism, as reported by Alaska Public Media. Foster faced charges of drug trafficking and two counts of hate-motivated property damage.
Rabbi Yosef Greenberg, president of the museum's board, expressed his sorrow over the incident, remarking on the disheartening influence that fear of "the other" can have on young people. During his trial, Foster apologized for his actions, which was encouraging to Greenberg.
The Alaska Jewish Museum, established in Anchorage in 2013, serves as more than just a museum, housing a Chabad center and an early education program. Alaska is home to approximately 4,500 Jews, often referred to as the "Frozen Chosen." The vandalism of the Jewish Museum occurred during a time when the local Jewish community was also grappling with COVID-19 lockdown protests that inappropriately appropriated Holocaust imagery. These protests were briefly supported by Anchorage's mayor before he issued an apology the following day. Notably, several prominent Alaskan politicians, including multiple mayors of Anchorage and perennial U.S. Senate and House candidate Al Gross, are Jewish.
The sentencing reflects a firm stance against hate-motivated acts and sends a message that such behavior will not be tolerated in Alaska. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of combating hate and promoting understanding and tolerance in communities across the nation. Photo by Didier Moïse, Wikimedia commons.