Headstones in a Jewish cemetery in Michigan were vandalized with spray paint spelling 'Trump,' 'MAGA' ahead of his rally in the state, group says

U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after a campaign rally at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan, U.S., November 2, 2020.

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

• Headstones in a Jewish cemetery in Michigan were vandalized with spray paint spelling "Trump" and "MAGA" ahead of the president's rally in the city on Monday, according to the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus.
• The Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus condemned the incident, saying they were "appalled and outraged by the desecration."
• "Make no mistake, this heinous act was committed on the eve of the 2020 election to send an intimidating message to the president's opponents, and particularly, Jewish voters," the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus wrote in a Monday statement.
• The president hosted a rally in Traverse City, Michigan, north of Grand Rapids, earlier Monday — the fourth of five rallies Trump had planned in the state ahead of the election on Tuesday.
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Headstones in a Jewish cemetery in Michigan were vandalized with spray paint spelling "Trump" ahead of his campaign rally in the state, Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus said Monday.

The incident happened in the Ahavas Israel cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the group said on Twitter, as President Donald Trump is set to host a rally in the city the same day.

—Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) November 2, 2020

The Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus condemned the vandalism in a statement Monday, saying the organization was "appalled and outraged by the desecration of Ahavas Israel cemetery in Grand Rapids, a year after the city's reform synagogue was vandalized with antisemitic imagery."

"Make no mistake, this heinous act was committed on the eve of the 2020 election to send an intimidating message to the president's opponents, and particularly, Jewish voters," the organization wrote in the statement. "But it has failed."

"Instead, Jews in Grand Rapids, the State of Michigan, and across the country will head to the polls tomorrow to vote against this president and the hatred, violence, and antisemitism he so callously incites," they continued.

The president hosted a rally in Traverse City, Michigan, north of Grand Rapids, earlier Monday — the fourth of five rallies Trump had planned in the state ahead of the election on Tuesday.

"If we win Michigan, it's over," Trump said during the rally.

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