Philadelphia man arrested for urinating on synagogue
Suspect turns himself in to police after footage shows him flipping off camera, relieving himself on Jewish house of prayer
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
A man in Philadelphia turned himself in to police after the release of security footage showing him urinating on a local synagogue and making a lewd gesture.
The footage, which was filmed early Sunday morning, shows the man approaching the entrance of Congregation Beth Solomon before flipping off the camera and relieving himself on the wall next to the synagogue’s front doors.
Following the incident, police released segments of the security video and called on the public’s help in tracking down the suspect, leading 23-year-old Sheidali Dzhalilov to turn himself in Tuesday evening, according to ABC news.
Police said he has been arrested and charged with ethnic intimidation, indecent exposure, institutional vandalism, desecration of objects, open lewdness, harassment and disorderly conduct.
Police official Dennis Rosenbaum said the congregation’s rabbi was at the synagogue at the time of the incident and noticed movement on the surveillance feed, leading him to examine the footage and see the suspect urinating on the building.
“Otherwise he might not have even known it happened,” Rosenbaum told ABC.
He added that the camera was installed after previous incidents of stealing and vandalism at the synagogue, including the theft of the large menorah that can be seen in the background of the video.
The Times of Israel Community.