SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) -- Investigators in Southfield are hoping surveillance video will help lead them to several suspects who defaced the Goodman Acker law offices this week.
In a video released on Monday afternoon, three suspects can be seen spray painting anti-Semitic graffiti on the building, while the fourth suspect drove the getaway car.
Police say the suspects arrived at the building -- located at 10 Mile and Southfield Road -- at 1:39 a.m. Monday morning and left seven minutes later.
University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker, who is Jewish, works in the building, and believes it was a targeted attack.
The words "Free Palestine" and "divest" were written multiple times, as well as "UM kills" and messages containing the f-word directed at Acker.
The vandalism comes nearly two weeks after U-M officials removed pro-Palestinian encampments from the Diag on the university's campus in Ann Arbor. As with other college campuses across the country this spring, students and other protesters had gathered on the Michigan campus in opposition of the Israel-Hamas war, demanding the school divest interest from Israeli-back corporations.
Acker — whose house was targeted by protesters last month — spoke out on the vandalism at a press conference outside the law firm Monday, explaining why he felt it was a hate crime.
"When you show up at only one regent's house and it is a Jewish regent and when you show up at someone's business and only a Jewish regent, you are sending a message that it is okay to terrorize Jews, and it is not okay," Acker said.
While Acker said he can't speculate on exactly what happened, he believes the vandalism may be tied to the campus protests. Authorities are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Anyone with information is asked to call Southfield Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.