Dallas councilwoman gets overwhelming support from community, Gov. Abbott after antisemitic graffiti

DALLAS - Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn wants to thank the community for the huge outpouring of support she's received after her fence was defaced with antisemitic messages last month.

The story about what happened to Mendelsohn's home has now received coverage around the world, and it also caught the attention of Gov. Greg Abbott, who made a personal phone call to her.

The protest movement against Israel's war in Gaza has been highly visible at Dallas City Hall and elsewhere.            

"We've had a pro-Palestinian protest outside my house," Mendelsohn said. "I received a death threat, threatening messages to my staff, a variety of things."

But when someone resorted to red spray paint at Mendelsohn's home, she says that crossed the line to criminal activity. 

"First thing I thought about were my grandparents," she said. "They immigrated to America escaping antisemitism, death threats, and they would say this could happen again."

It is not yet clear who was responsible for the vandalism on Feb. 10. But in the weeks following the defacement to her fence, Mendelsohn says the story has struck a nerve that she did not expect. 

"The governor called me to express his concerns about antisemitic incidents that have happened to me," she said. "And, specifically, he has seen about the fence and heard about death threat, the t-shirts people would wear with horns and a pig nose of my face."

Mendelsohn says there is also a hateful postcard that was sent to her and other council members. 

"He was concerned about my safety and family's safety but also immediate and longer term how he could help support," she said.

Mendelsohn, who often votes on DPD matters, says it has given her a different perspective to be on the side of needing DPD's help. 

"I chair the public safety committee," she said. "I'm sure they want me to feel taken care of, but I feel like they would do this for anyone."

A contractor has even volunteered to donate his services to repair Mendelson's fence. 

Kelly Martin, owner of Sealant Specialists in Flower Mound, told Mendelsohn that he wanted to right this wrong. 

"I wanted to send a message that racism is not okay. If you do that, you should be arrested," he said. "And there are people who will help. You are not going to win."

The Dallas Police Department has not yet charged anyone in the vandalism, and the case is still under investigation. 

Mendelsohn now has a number of security enhancements to her property in addition to the increased police presence.