Police trying to identify man accused of slashing Israeli flag outside Pittsburgh home
Pittsburgh Police are asking for help to identify a man they say used a knife to slash an Israeli flag outside a home in the city's Mexican War Streets neighborhood.
Police said that detectives from Zone 1 are investigating what they called "an act of criminal mischief" along Buena Vista Street.
According to police, a man with long hair is accused of driving a white pick-up truck and parking it near the home around 7 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 17.
Police said the man got out of the truck with a knife and slashed and ruined the flag before leaving the area.
KDKA-TV spoke with Deena Blumenfeld, the woman whose flag was vandalized over the weekend, on Tuesday morning. She noticed it on Sunday afternoon before leaving to see a symphony show.
"I'll be honest, I did not enjoy the show as much as I could because this was weighing on me," Blumenfeld said.
Surveillance cameras caught the incident happening Saturday night, Blumenfeld said. She added that antisemitic incidents have happened to her multiple times, including a time when antisemitic graffiti was sprayed on the sidewalk in front of her home.
"We've had four individuals come by 19 times to do different things," Blumenfeld said.
Blumenfeld has already replaced her now-damaged flag with a new one. She says it cost her $9 on Amazon, but it's about more than just the cost. She said it's about freedom of speech and expression.
"If we silence ourselves, we let the bad guys win," Blumenfeld said.
While Blumenfeld does not know who vandalized her flag, nor does she know his motive, she said she'd attempt to gain some understanding if she saw him in person.
"I would invite him to sit down and have a cup of coffee, in public, for safety reasons," Blumenfeld said.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh told KDKA-TV that it has received reports of nine antisemitic incidents so far this year. Its community security director, Shawn Brokos, said that's up from seven year-to-date for 2025.
Brokos told KDKA that incidents have been trending upward over the past few years. She said 2025 finished with 312 reported incidents, while 2024 finished with 283.
While she says there are many reasons for that trend, she remains baffled that this block in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood remains a target.
"Why does this keep continuing?" Brokos said. "And I think that's a question we need to figure out. Why does this keep happening in here of all places?"
Police said this is the third occurrence in two years that someone who lives in this block of Buena Vista Street had an Israeli flag on their property damaged.
In 2024, police investigated multiple instances of vandalism in the neighborhood, including when a man was caught on camera taking down an Israeli flag and throwing it in the trash. Another incident involved a home being vandalized with antisemitic graffiti.
Brokos called the vandalism an act of antisemitism.
"We appreciate the swift response of local law enforcement and encourage anyone with information or security footage to come forward so the perpetrator can be held accountable."
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Zone 1 at 412-323-7201 and ask for plainclothes detectives.
