9-Feb-17 – Chicago police have arrested a man suspected in vandalism last week at a synagogue in the Loop.

Stuart Wright (left), age 31, was charged with felony hate crime and felony criminal damage. He was arrested Tuesday morning in the 2100 block of South Loomis Street, southwest of the Loop, and will be in Bond Court on Thursday morning.

On February 4 at about 12:20 a.m., according to police, Wright drove up in an SUV to Chicago Loop Synagogue on South Clark Street, south of Madison Street, got out of the vehicle, placed swastika stickers on the front doors, then took a metal object from his pocket and smashed a window.

Wright was wearing a mask at the time. Police say they had license plate information, fingerprints, and got an anonymous tip.

“The Chicago Jewish community will not be intimidated by anti-Semitic attacks on a house of worship,” said Amy Stoken of the American Jewish Committee. “The right of all religious groups to practice their faith without fear is a fundamental American value. Chicagoans must speak together clearly that the hatred behind this destructive behavior will never be accepted.”