Brookhaven police make arrest in connection with antisemitic messages

Police have made an arrest connected to two antisemitic messages that were spray-painted on property in Brookhaven in November.

Brookhaven police arrested 25-year-old Anthony Freshwater of Peachtree Corners, according to a press release. Police have charged Freshwater with four counts of Criminal Damage to Property-Hate Crime, Vandalism at a Place of Worship, and three counts of Loitering and Prowling.

On Nov. 1, antisemitic messages were found in Brookhaven at multiple locations around Dresden Drive and Apple Valley Road. According to the release, the phrase “Jews Kill Blacks” was found spray-painted on the side of a townhome, and a Jewish slur was found in block letters underneath an overpass on Dresden Drive.

Another message that read “Jews enslave Black Lives” was found on the sign for University Baptist Church, and a slur was found on the stop sign at Dresden Drive and Peachtree.  

According to the release, Freshwater was arrested in connection with a separate incident that occurred on Nov. 11. On that date, officers responded to the 1400 block of Dresden Drive in response to reports of antisemitic graffiti on the windows of the businesses of Brookhaven Wines and MyEyeDr. Police say the messages read “Jews own black slaves” and “Read the Talmud.” 

Police say they used CCTV cameras along Dresden Drive and saw a suspect parking his car and walking around the area at the time of the incident. Police were able to identify the car, which they say was registered to Freshwater. Police say they arrested Freshwater at his home in Peachtree Corners on Nov. 28 with no incident. According to the release, Freshwater declined to make a statement about the incidents. 

“There is no place for hate in Brookhaven, whether it is antisemitic graffiti or any other kind of divisive rhetoric which seeks to target, marginalize, or stigmatize any racial or ethnic group” said Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst in the release. “We have come too far collectively to allow the actions of one or more persons to try to reverse the progress we have made.”