Vandalism of synagogue to be investigated as hate crime

Vandals have scrawled graffiti claiming the Holocaust is "fake history" on an exterior wall of a Seattle synagogue, leading the rabbi to urge President Donald Trump to more forcefully denounce a wave of anti-Semitic incidents in recent months.

Seattle police say they are investigating the vandalism at Temple De Hirsch Sinai as a hate crime after an off-duty officer spotted it on Friday.

"Holocaust is fake history!" read the spray-painted message, with each letter S written as dollar signs.

The graffiti, along with bomb threats that led to evacuations of Jewish community centres in Wisconsin and upstate New York, are the latest incidents targeting Jewish organisations in the United States in recent months.

Rabbi Daniel Weiner, left, watches as Seattle police investigate after Temple de Hirsch Sinai was vandalised with anti-Semitic Holocaust-denying graffiti. Photo / AP

In Seattle, Rabbi Daniel Weiner linked the incidents to what he characterised as permissiveness toward white supremacy from parts of the electorate during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

"A message needs to come from our president, not only decrying anti-Semitism but specifically indicting white supremacists and in particular those who support his candidacy," Weiner said, also referring to the bomb threats, vandalism against Jewish cemeteries and aggression against Muslims, Sikhs and immigrants.

Weiner did not blame Trump or his administration directly but regretted "the tone that has been set throughout the campaign," when white nationalists embraced the Trump campaign.

- AAP