Leaders of Columbia's Harper's Choice village denounced last night an act of vandalism in which seven large red swastikas were painted on the windows and outside walls of a photography store owned by two Russian Jewish immigrants.
At the already-scheduled village board meeting, county Police Chief James N. Robey told about 40 residents that the department is investigating leads on the Harper's Choice Village Center hate-bias incident, which was reported to police Monday morning. A $300 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
He said the department has increased foot patrols in the area.
In a news release issued yesterday, the village board said it is "profoundly distressed at this recent act of bigotry and hatred" at the Uniphoto Labs Inc. store.
It called the use of the swastika -- the emblem of Nazi Germany -- "repugnant to the good citizens of Harper's Choice and Columbia, and, we believe, in no way reflects the attitudes of residents of this community. This goes against all the ideals and founding principles of Columbia."
But board member J. Terry Edmonds called on the community association to take a stand beyond issuing a statement. He suggested holding a counterdemonstration or a prayer vigil in front of Uniphoto "to show that this community doesn't tolerate racial and ethnic bigotry, that Harper's Choice is a community of diversity."
This week's incident was the third hate crime at Uniphoto since the shop opened in September, said owners Solomon Keyser and Yakov Fox, immigrants from Odessa, Ukraine. A rock was thrown through a window early last fall. Then, near Thanksgiving, a swastika and several expletives were painted on the windows, according to police and the owners.
Police received reports of 65 hate-bias incidents in the county last year.
On Monday, the angry owners said they would consider moving the store to another location. But yesterday, Mr. Keyser said the store will stay at Harper's Choice, adding that he and Mr. Fox have received strong community support.
The incident already has sparked wide-ranging reactions. Howard County Councilwoman Mary Lorsung of the 4th District and a representative of U.S. Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin of Baltimore attended the meeting to express concern and offer support.
"An incident like this happens in a place, but has implications and meaning in the broader community," Ms. Lorsung said.
Village board member Heather D'Amore said the community's schools already have responded to the hate-bias incident.
Harper's Choice Middle School students discussed the issue in classes and wrote letters of support to the store owners, she said. Longfellow Elementary School students are making "posters for peace," which they'll post throughout the village, she said.
Shelley Waldman, a member of several local Soviet Jewry committees, said Jewish organizations always take an aggressive stance against anti-Semitic incidents. She praised the village board for taking prompt action. "Solidarity and an outpouring of concern are what's needed," she said.
Ms. Waldman has a particular interest in the Uniphoto incident because she met Mr. Keyser and his family at the airport the day they arrived in the United States in 1990.
Chief Robey said talking about the incident can help police find the vandals because they often like to brag about their acts. He noted that police caught the vandals who defaced the new East Columbia Library after they talked about their crime.
On another matter, a Rouse Co. representative discussed plans for improving the village center, including attracting a new grocery store to replace Valu Food, improving lighting, increasing security and attracting tenants to fill vacancies.
Jody Clark, a Rouse Co. vice president, said the developer is pursuing improvements to the village center, which residents have criticized as dimly lighted, unsafe, dirty and outdated.
"We're always trying to look for ways to make the center more vibrant," Ms. Clark said. "Money has certainly been spent there. . . . I see 1995 as being a major year for Harper's Choice, being able to reposition it and remerchandise it."
Rouse is negotiating with grocery store chains to replace Valu Food, which is expected to vacate the center in a year, she said. Rouse also has increased security patrols at the center, plans to upgrade lighting within the next two months, and is trying to attract a pub or restaurant, she said.