A snowman resembling Adolf Hitler was found in Westport, Connecticut, last Sunday, according to the Westport Police Department. 

According to law enforcement, the snowman, which was photographed by a hiker in the Newman Poses Preserve, had a swastika drawn on its body and was performing a Nazi salute. Additionally, its design featured a mustache and hairstyle that closely resembled those of Hitler. The hiker contacted a local Rabbi and reported the incident on a blog before it was brought to the attention of the police. 

The Anti-Defamation League released a statement on Facebook last Saturday expressing “deep concern” about the incident and calling “upon community leaders to speak out against this hate.”

The Westport delegation, which includes Connecticut State Senator Ceci Maher and State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, released a joint statement on Monday condemning the attack. “This pathetic display is an example of the fear anti-Semitism tries to derive from the public, and that it was left anonymously in a local park is evidence that its creator knows they should be ashamed of themselves,” said Maher. “Our community cannot and will not condone anything like this, especially in already heightened tensions and times.” 

“This depiction of Hitler, swastikas, and antisemitism is an act of malice meant to strike fear in the hearts of residents,” added Steinberg. “Fear and hate thrive in darkness, not in the woods of Westport.”

Antisemitism on rise 

Earlier in February, a fake skull with the words “dead Jew” was discovered in New Haven, Connecticut, according to the New Haven Police Department.

The incident occurred at around 11:35 a.m., when a plastic, Halloween-style skull was allegedly found near the sidewalk in the area of Olive Street and Greene Street, The New Haven Police Department said. They added that there was no evidence that the antisemitic statement was targeted at any residents of nearby houses. 

The Jewish Federation responded to the incident in New Haven in early February, writing that “Hate and division weaken society. We must stand united—not just as a Jewish community but as a society that values peace, respect, and mutual understanding. It is up to all of us to remain vigilant and to speak out whenever we witness hate.”

The Anti-Defamation League reported in April that antisemitism has reached historic levels in Connecticut, increasing by 170 percent in 2023 alone.