For the third time in a week, anti-Semitic graffiti returned to deface a popular Chinatown crosswalk.

Once again, the rats depicted in the 7th and H Streets NW intersection’s public art installation said “JEW.” The rats painted onto the intersection are part of the Chinese zodiac, but in labeling them “JEW” the graffiti joins a long, bigoted tradition of tying Jewish people to vermin.

Michael Villafranca saw the graffiti this morning after a coworker gave him a heads up about its return to the crosswalk. He says his colleague alerted him at around 9 a.m. and he sent out a tweet alerting 311 and public officials about it.

The graffiti was cleaned up at around noon today, says Rachel Rose Hartman, a spokesperson for DowntownDC. The BID also has been dispatching its maintenance crews to the crosswalk to check on it. “They’re always there, but we’ve got them checking specifically for new graffiti,” says Hartman.

Neil Albert, the president and CEO of the Downtown DC Business Improvement District, denounced the graffiti the first time it appeared last week on Tuesday. The BID worked alongside the District Department of Transportation to clean it up.

Last Wednesday, the graffiti labeling the three rats “JEW” reappeared. The police report for Wednesday’s defacement shows that police are investigating the incident as a suspected hate crime.

“Officers are reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with possible witnesses,” says Rob Hawkins, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s communications director. “MPD’s nightlife and midnight units have been monitoring the location and each will increase its presence there in the immediate future.” According to Hawkins, the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs and the Mayor’s Interfaith Council are talking to area religious leaders about the graffiti as well.

We’ve reached out to D.C. Police and DDOT for comment, and will update when we hear back.

Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to call 202-727-9099 or send an anonymous text message to 50411. This story has been updated with comment from the Mayor’s Office.

Filed Under: anti-semitic, bid, chinatown, downtowndc, graffiti,