Ohio Applebee’s location vandalized with swastikas, antisemitic messages, police say

MIAMISBURG, Ohio — An Applebee’s location in southwest Ohio was closed Saturday after it was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti, reports say.

The Dayton Daily News reports that police say the restaurant was “tagged” with the graffiti just before 8 a.m. Saturday. No arrests have been reported.

Ken Jarosik, communications manager for the city of Miamisburg, tells the Daily News that swastikas and hate messages targeting Jewish people were painted on various parts of the building.

The restaurant was closed Saturday as the graffiti was power-washed from the building, WHIO Channel 7 reports.

“We have no tolerance for discrimination of any kind at Applebee’s and are deeply saddened by the vandalism that occurred at our Miamisburg restaurant,” Rodney Conant of RMH, the Applebee’s franchisee that owns the location, tells WDTN Channel 2.

The Anti-Defamation League reports there has been a nearly 900% increase in antisemitic incidents during the past decade in the U.S. In 2015 there were 942 reported incidents, while there were more than 9,300 in 2024, an all-time high, according to the ADL.