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anywhere.”
Southfield Police Chief 
Elvin Barren provided further 
details. The Southfield Police 
Department is working with 
the FBI, the University of 
Michigan Police Department 
and Huntington Woods police at 
this time. 
Chief Barren said the pre-
liminary investigation revealed 
that on June 3 at 1:39 a.m., four 
individuals were captured on 
surveillance video approach-
ing from the east side of the 
Goodman Acker building. One 
acted as a lookout, while the 
other three performed the van-
dalism. The suspects departed at 
1:46 a.m. They were on the scene 
for approximately seven minutes.
Police are collecting video 
evidence from the Goodman 
Acker facility as well as footage 
from across the entire area to 
determine additional suspects, 
vehicles, license plates, etc. 
“We are asking the commu-
nity: If you see something, say 
something,” Chief Barren said. 
In the day following the van-
dalism, the TAHRIR Coalition, 
the student coalition that is the 
main block of U-M’s central 
student government, lauded the 
vandalism of Acker’s law office 
on social media.

‘A DIFFICULT MOMENT’
Jordan Acker spoke passionately 
at the press conference, saying 
this was “an enormously difficult 
moment for me, personally, and 
for this entire community.”
“Make no mistake — target-
ing individual Jewish elected 
officials is antisemitism,” Acker 
said. “This has nothing to do 
with Palestine or the war in 
Gaza or anything else. This is 
done as a message to scare Jews. 
I am deeply grateful for all of the 
support I’ve received from across 
the political spectrum today … I 
really appreciate it. 

“It is not acceptable. It is 
not OK. My dad helped found 
this business. And for 30-plus 
years, we’ve worked to help 
Michiganders, regardless of their 
race, religion or creed. Remember, 
this is a business that is owned 
by Jews, Muslims and Christians. 
This is an attack on who we are as 
a Michigan community.
“This action is the exact type 
of action that occurred on Jewish 
businesses in Germany and 
Russia and other countries with 
severe antisemitism problems,” 
Acker continued. “Before this 
becomes a problem that we can’t 

help, we must stamp it out now. 
“I was not targeted today 
because I am a regent. I am 
targeted for this because I am 
Jewish. This neighborhood is 
Jewish. This is a significant esca-
lation. Going to my colleagues’ 
homes, all of us, is unaccept-
able and dangerous. Singling 
out a Jewish board member is 
antisemitism, pure and simple.”
State Sen. Jeremy Moss 
(D-Southfield), the only Jewish 
member of the Michigan Senate, 
also spoke at the press conferenc.
“This is antisemitism,” Moss 
said. “Those who have watched 

in disgust as these 
scenes have played 
out but have not 
found the words yet 
to condemn it, must 
join us in speaking 
out. These threats no 
longer just impact 
student encamp-
ments. They now impact Jewish 
homes, Jewish neighborhoods 
and Jewish businesses. 
“But what the antisemitic 
vandals might not know is how 
strong the Southfield community 
is and how we value our racial, 
religious and ethnic diversity,” 
he continued. “
And this showing 
of our officials and community 
members demonstrates that hate 
will have no home here.”
U-M Regent Mark 
Bernstein attended.
“Jordan is a dear 
friend. Our firms have 
worked with each 
other for decades. 
This is a terrible, 
dangerous escalation. 
It’s intolerable. It’s repugnant. 
It demands condemnation,” 
Bernstein said. “I’m here to 
show support and solidarity for 
a friend, a colleague and a com-
munity that doesn’t deserve this.” 
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also 
released a statement: 
“Michigan has been a place 
where people from all back-
grounds, religions and cultures 
have lived together peacefully for 
decades. Violence, vandalism, 
threats and intimidation are 
unacceptable, and what we saw 
today in Southfield is abhorrent. 
“We must remain united in 
calling out hatred of any kind 
and continue working together 
toward peace in Michigan.”
Police in Southfield are 
offering a cash reward for infor-
mation leading to an arrest. 
Call 1-800-SPEAK-UP or the 
Southfield Police Department at 
(248) 796-5500. 

The Goodman Acker Law Firm building in Southfield was defaced by 
antisemitic graffiti on June 3.

State Sen. 
Jeremy 
Moss

Mark 
Bernstein

OUR COMMUNITY

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