‘They want people to walk around afraid’: Over 50 Edmonds businesses vandalized amid Middle East War

EDMONDS, Wash. — The latest calls for a ceasefire in Gaza are coming from the city of Edmonds, where over the weekend more than 50 businesses were vandalized.

Red paint tagged windows and murals across downtown, with phrases like ‘ceasefire now!’ and ‘Free Palestine’.

“There are people who don’t like that there’s so much positivity. There’s so much support for Israel and the Jewish people,” said Rabbi Berel Paltiel with Chabadad of Snohomish County. “They want to change the narrative into something negative. They want people to walk around afraid. They want people to be scared.

But as quickly as the paint went up, it was gone. Within hours of the vandalism being discovered on Saturday morning, people worked to clean it off windows and walls.

“It’s an Edmonds kind of day,” said local business owner, Amanda.

She said Edmonds is a community that comes together.

Her business was one of the dozens tagged this weekend. But Monday there was no trace. Her neighbors cleaned it up before she arrived.

“I just opened a business and to know that there’s good neighbors around to clean up messes that aren’t even theirs, it makes me feel really great that I opened a shop here,” said Amanda.

Edmonds Police told KIRO 7 they believe two or three people are responsible for this widespread vandalism. Adding on social media that there were ‘no threats made to anyone or any groups.’

Rabbi Paltiel told KIRO 7 that’s just not true.

“There’s no question it’s targeted. I don’t live under a rock. There’s no question there’s a surge in antisemitism,” said Rabbi Paltiel.

But despite that perceived target, he offered only hope when asked about this past weekend.

“The response has been to fight this negativity and horror with positivity and light. And that’s how we should respond to Edmonds as well,” he said.

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