Woman arrested in vandalism at Jewish Brooklyn Museum officials’ homes during anti-Israel protests

NEW YORK (AP) — A woman who police say helped vandalize the homes of the Brooklyn Museum’s leaders with red paint during a wave of anti-Israel protests has been arrested on hate crimes charges.

Taylor Pelton, 28, was arrested yesterday on charges of criminal mischief and criminal mischief as a hate crime, according to police.

Police say Pelton was one of six people seen on surveillance video vandalizing the homes of Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternak and museum President and Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Trueblood on June 12.

Pelton was arraigned last night and released with court supervision, according to a spokesperson for the Brooklyn district attorney’s office.

A request for comment was sent to Pelton’s attorney.

According to court papers, Pelton was part of a group of people seen on surveillance video spray-painting red paint the homes of Pasternak and Trueblood and hanging banners with slogans like, “Blood on your hands” and “white supremacist, funds genocide.”

The vandalism targeting Pasternak, who is Jewish, was denounced by New York Mayor Eric Adams and other officials.