Painted Swastikas on Jewish Community Center in Northern Virginia

For the second time in 18 months, a Jewish community center in Fairfax County was vandalized with spray-painted swastikas on its exterior walls. The swastikas were discovered Saturday morning, said David Yaffe, chairman of the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia.

Yaffe said that 19 swastikas were painted on the walls near the entrance to the center, which is found in the 8900 block of Little River Turnpike in Annandale.

"We were shocked the first time this happened. So, we are not shocked that this is happening again, but we are deeply disappointed, "Yaffe said. "We know that this does not reflect the feelings of the local community or the community of northern Virginia, but it is sad that this happens in 2018."

Fairfax police were called to the center shortly after 8 am and an investigation is under way. Police said the surveillance video showed a suspect spraying outside the building at around 4:30 in the morning. No other damage has been reported. Still images released by the police show an individual dressed in dark pants and a dark shirt over what appears to be a gray hoodie.

In April 2017, Dylan M. Mahone, a 20-year-old Annandale, was arrested and charged with hate crimes for damaging the community center, a nearby church and a community college with anti-Semitic graffiti and stickers.

[Annandale man charged in anti-Semitic graffiti incidents in Northern Virginia]

The Anti-Defamation League reported earlier this year that there had been 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, nearly 60% more than in 2016. Incidents ranged from physical assaults to the bomb and desecration in vandalism and harassment cemeteries.

Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) Spoke about the incident and the resurgence of hate-motivated crimes on Twitter, saying it was necessary to respond to such acts "with a fierce condemnation and a overabundance of love and unity ".