Montgomery Community Media

It has seemingly become commonplace. Yet another instance of racism and antisemitism occurred at Sidwell Friends High School in Washington, D.C. Tuesday. During a large assembly meeting, the school played a game of Kahoot. Kahoot is an educational trivia game where questions and prompts are projected on a large screen; students can choose a username […]

Kate Bradley, the principal of Bannockburn Elementary School in Bethesda, emailed parents Wednesday about a swastika and curse word found drawn inside a boys bathroom stall. According to Bradley, the “a 5th grade patrol” officer discovered the expletive and antisemitic symbol Tuesday in the bathroom located in Green Hallway, which is primarily for 4th and 5th-grade […]

Jack Smith, the superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools, addressed the recent acts of hate that have occurred in the high schools. Since December, there have been four known instances of hate at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, and Winston Churchill High School in Potomac. Richard Montgomery’s principal confirmed that in January, the school […]

Two swastikas were drawn on a desk at Winston Churchill High School, according to a note the principal sent to families. Security at the Potomac school as well as the school resource officer immediately began an investigation and the graffiti was removed by the building services team, the letter says. “We were able to identify […]

UPDATED 12.13.16 Montgomery County police officers have closed the vandalism investigation at Westland Middle School, according to Captain Paul Starks. Last month, staff notified police that a student reported that swastikas were drawn on the mirrors and walls of a bathroom stall inside a boys restroom. Starks said that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff […]

The teen, who was arrested and charged with vandalizing a Gaithersburg synagogue, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, according to court documents. Sebastian Espinoza-Carranza was charged with defacement of religious property, damage to a religious institution, and malicious destruction of property for the antisemitic graffiti found on Shaare Torah Synagogue in Gaithersburg back in April. His sentencing is set […]

UPDATED, Aug. 28, 5:56 p.m. – : Montgomery County Police said swastikas were painted on two-speed cameras and a community neighborhood sign in Olney and Rockville.  Police said, on Aug. 26 around 6 a.m., a Montgomery County police officer noticed a large green-colored swastika painted on a county speed camera.  According to a post on […]

It was an emotional interview for Sebastian Espinoza-Carranza at his home in Gaithersburg. The teen was arrested and charged with vandalizing a Gaithersburg synagogue. The 18-year-old teen says he is not a racist person and that he is really sorry. The congregation’s surveillance video helped lead police to Spinoza-Carranza. It shows him allegedly spray painting swastikas, […]

UPDATED Gaithersburg police officers are looking for the vandal(s) who defaced the Shaare Torah synagogue in Gaithersburg. “At this time, detectives are continuing to investigate the incident,” said Officer Dane Lane. “They are following up on leads and speaking with citizens who may have or may not have seen anything. We are always looking for more […]

Gaithersburg Police Chief Mark Sroka said detectives have identified a “person of interest” who could be involved in the Shaare Torah Synagogue vandalism case. Local authorities have surveillance footage showing a masked person running away from the building.  Sroka said the report came in at 7:10 a.m. this morning. That’s when police officers found eleven swastikas and other […]