BOCA RATON, Fla. (WSVN) — An unsettling incident has left a quiet Boca Raton neighborhood in shock as a couple discovered offensive graffiti in front of their home, raising concerns about a disturbing trend.

Phyllis Robinson was removing Halloween decorations when she noticed the graffiti.

“I realized there was something written in the gutter over here, which I suppose is where it belongs: in the gutter,” she recounted.

The graffiti, which included a lewd drawing and the word “Jews,” left both Robinson and her husband, Robert Winess, astounded.

“It was complete astonishment that in the middle of Boca Raton, we would come out and find such an overt anti-Semitic statement,” Winess expressed.

Despite the shock, Robinson remained resolute.

“It’s a little bit scary, but I’m not intimidated,” she said. “If I was intimidated, I wouldn’t have put up a flag.”

The couple’s display of an Israeli flag in front of their home led them to believe they were targeted due to their support for Israel.

This incident follows another in Wellington where an Israeli flag at an elementary school was torn in half, further increasing anxiety within the Jewish community.

School officials have assured parents that the school police are actively investigating the incidents, with potential criminal charges for the responsible parties. Boca Raton Police share the commitment to identifying those responsible and bringin

“I guess I didn’t really expect this in 2023, and it makes me worry for my child who’s in college,” said Robinson.

In response to these incidents, Florida lawmakers have scheduled a special legislative session starting Monday to allocate funds for security at Jewish facilities at high risk for hate crimes, as well as to provide funding for Jewish preschools and day schools.

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