The New York Post reports that James Polite, the suspect charged with vandalizing a Brooklyn synagogue with anti-Semitic graffiti, was fostered by a Jewish family. Additionally, he once worked as a City Hall intern responsible for fighting hate crimes. Police say that Polite not only vandalized Union Temple in Prospect Heights, he also set fires at a number of Jewish institutions, including inside the closet of a yeshiva.
An an intern for former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Polite was responsible for researching hate crimes. “The actions he is accused of break my heart and devastate all of us who tried to help him get on solid footing over the years. And while he has experienced hardship that most people can’t ever imagine, his actions are inexcusable,” said Quinn in a statement.
The year before he turned 18, Polite was fostered by a Jewish couple who live across the street from the synagogue he is accused of vandalizing.
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