Goodman Acker law firm in Southfield vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti, spray paint

Vandals spray-painted obscenities and anti-Israel graffiti across the entrance to the Goodman Acker law firm in Southfield early Monday, using wording that leaders of the firm said was antisemitic targeting the firm's senior partner Jordan Acker, a Jewish member of the University of Michigan board of regents.

Red and black paint covered the firm’s sign with phrases that included "Free Palestine," "Divest now," "F*** You Acker" and "UM Kills." The vandals also left red handprints on the doors.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned the incident in a statement Monday that said: "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.”

Southfield police Chief Elvin Barren said his department was investigating the incident as hate crime. Barren spoke on Monday afternoon, joining a gathering of the firm's partners, including Acker, along with community leaders, to denounce the graffiti.

The law firm's co-founder, Barry Goodman, termed it "a clear attempt to intimidate" Jews and supporters of Israel, saying pro-Palestinian protesters were welcome to peacefully stand on the sidewalk in front of the firm's offices "but not this." Although founded by Jewish lawyers, Goodman Acker today has ownership that includes Muslim and Christian partners, Goodman said. He is a member of the Democratic National Committee and an active fundraiser for Democrats in Michigan.

The graffiti is "not legitimate political discourse," Goodman said, adding: "They did this in the middle of the night and then they ran away." Jordan Acker expressed thanks to those who have sent him messages of support, including other members of the U-M Board of regents.

"Make no mistake — singling out a Jewish board member is antisemitism, pure and simple," Acker said. "This is the exact type of thing that happened to Jewish businesses under Nazi Germany. This is how it started there." He said several contractors had offered to power-wash away the offensive wording at no cost, "just because they are as upset as we are."

State Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, joined members of the law firm on the spray-painted steps to condemn the grafitti.

"There are wars going on all over the world right now, but the focus in America is on Gaza. Why? People who say all Zionists deserve to die, that Israel should be eliminated — this is antisemitism," Moss said, adding: "But I want to say, Southfield is a place of outstanding diversity. We celebrate all of our people."

Southfield Mayor Ken Siver said the graffiti amounted to something far more serious than political expression.

"This city will not stand for terrorist acts, and that's exactly what this is," Siver said. "We stand with our Jewish community against this kind of violence. Working with our police, we will do all we can to bring the people who did this to justice."

In October, Hamas — which is categorized as a terrorist group by the United States ― led an attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 and abducting 251 hostages, including children and elderly persons, and taking them to the Gaza Strip, according to wire service reports.

Israel struck back militarily, seeking to free the hostages freed and destroy Hamas' military capability, while causing the deaths of more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the United Nations. In the past few months, pro-Palestinian protests have been breaking out, particularly on university campuses nationwide, as the United States seeks a truce to hostilities in the Middle East.

In Southfield, police said surveillance videos showed that four people arrived at the law firm's offices at about 1:45 a.m. on Monday and left the grafitti. The wording "UM Kills" sprayed on the sidewalk connects U-M Regent Acker with a campus encampment at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where pro-Palestinian protesters have demanded that the university divest its endowment monies from Israeli companies. U-M officials have said that the amount of that investment is a tiny fraction of the millions of dollars of the endowment's global investments.

Protesters set up an encampment in April at the University of Michigan, calling for divesting from Israeli businesses as a reaction to Israel's military actions in Gaza.

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Last month, students interrupted commencement events at Michigan Stadium with a protest. Graduating students wore keffiyehs, a Palestinian scarf with a black-and-white pattern, and waved flags during the ceremony.

The encampment eventually was broken up in a predawn public safety action, after demonstrators reportedly began stepping up pressure by using increasingly graphic tactics, such as placing fake body bags on the lawn of a school official.

In recent months, the Michigan State Police stepped up security efforts as threats and protests escalated against religious sites and groups, "and they will continue to work with leaders in Michigan's Arab-American, Jewish, and Muslim communities," said a statement on Monday from the governor's office.

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Goodman Acker law firm in Southfield vandalized with graffiti