Clarkstown Town Hall Israeli Flag Stolen in Broad Daylight

Rockland Daily Staff

A fifteen-year-old scaled the flag pole at Clarkstown Town Hall, ripped down the Israeli flag flying there, and fled the scene.

Clarkstown police were called shortly after the 12:15 p.m. theft on Thanksgiving Day. They apprehended the teen on Congers Road after witnesses saw him running toward Route 304.

The boy was in the process of removing his dark sweatshirt to use to hide the flag when he was stopped and questioned by police. He was subsequently arrested.

"On Thanksgiving Day, the Israeli flag at Town Hall was stolen and vandalized," Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann shared on Friday. "We raised the flag after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas in solidarity. Today, we again raised the Israeli flag as we will not allow hate to be tolerated in our Town. The flag will remain up for several more weeks. Thanks to the Clarkstown Police Department the perpetrator was quickly apprehended and will be facing numerous charges. This is an ongoing police matter and a press release from the police department will be released and outline the charges and offer an update on the investigation. It is indeed sad that on Thanksgiving somebody thought it was a good idea to steal and desecrate the flag of Israel on Town properly. Hate has no place here in our Town."

 According to the Clarkstown Police Department, the theft is still under investigation, including the possibility of the act being a hate crime. This is the second theft of an Israeli flag at a Rockland County Town Hall. The last theft took place on  Monday, November 13, from the Ramapo Town Hall as reported by Rockland Daily here. 

Photo Credit: Supervisor Hoehmann