Pink Swastika Sprayed On Midtown's Sutton Place Synagogue, Police Say

SUTTON PLACE, NY — The NYPD hate crimes unit is hunting three men who vandalized a Sutton Place synagogue with the image of a swastika early Wednesday morning, police told Patch.

Around 5 a.m. Wednesday the men approached Sutton Place Synagogue on East 51st Street between Second and Third avenues and spray painted a pink swastika on the synagogue doors, police told Patch. After vandalizing the place of worship the men casually fled the scene, according to surveillance footage released by the NYPD.

Sutton Place Synagogue Rabbi Rachel Ain released a statement denouncing the hateful vandalism.

"It is hard to believe and extremely hurtful to think that someone walks around with that level of hatred in their heart. The only way to combat hatred is to stand together, pray together and love each other. Schools will remain open, the office will be open and services and meetings will be held as scheduled," Ain said in a statement.

Nobody at the synagogue was injured during the vandalism and the spray painted swastika has been removed, Ain said in her statement.

Watch surveillance footage of the vandals below:

The NYPD hate crimes unit is investigating the vandalism as a crime of bias, police told Patch.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Photo/video by NYPD