Anti-Semitism in Zhytomyr?

On the night prior to Independence Day someone painted swastikas and the Star of David hanging from the gallows on the walls of the local synagogue and neighboring buildings, along with slogans reading «Makashov (a notorious Russian militant Communist and anti-Semite — Ed. ) is Alive!» and «Death to the Yids!», reports The Day's Valery KOSTIUKEVYCH. It was the second such action over the past month and a half. While then the leaders of the local Jewish community merely complained to the State Committee on Nationalities, Migration, and Religion, now they have sent a statement to the regional administration requesting official evaluation of the event. At the same time, Mikhailo Hurwits, Vice President of the Jewish Council, told The Day that he regards these actions as evidence that pro-fascist groups exist in Zhytomyr. He thinks that they have adopted this tactic to destabilize the situation in the region. When queried by The Day , Colonel Oleksandr Redko, head of the Regional Internal Affairs Department of the Interior, stated that current intelligence did not point to any such groups and suggested that poorly brought up teenagers were involved.