Woman charged with hate crime after vandalizing home of Jewish director of Brooklyn Museum

A woman has been arrested and charged with a hate crime in connection with splattering red paint on the home of the Jewish director of the Brooklyn Museum earlier this summer.

Taylor Pelton, 28, was charged Wednesday with criminal mischief as a hate crime in connection with the June attack, the New York City Police Department said.

In the attack, red paint was splattered on the front facade and door of Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak’s Brooklyn home.

Surveillance video showed five people wearing masks and dressed in all black defacing the courtyard, and hoisting a banner with the director’s name, calling her a “white-supremacist Zionist.” Stencil graffiti was also left on the ground that read: “Blood on Your Hands.”

At the time NYC Comptroller Brad Lander posted photos of red paint-smeared doors and hateful speech.

Senior police sources said at the time they were looking for about 15 people as there were multiple incidents in the city where red paint was thrown or spray painted onto homes. Other houses impacted were board members of the museum.

Pelton appeared in Kings County Court on Wednesday where she pleaded not guilty and was released with non-monetary conditions.

She’s due back in court on Oct. 30. NBC News has reached out to her attorney for comment.

The Brooklyn Museum told NBC News Friday: “We are aware the District Attorney has filed criminal charges against an individual accused of participating in the June 12 vandalism at the homes of several Brooklyn Museum leaders. Those affected are cooperating with the authorities.”

The museum leadership said it believes it’s “crucial to distinguish between peaceful protest and criminal acts,” noting it has a long history of supporting artists’ free expression.

“Our vision remains rooted in the belief that art fosters dialogue and mutual understanding among people with diverse experiences and perspectives.”

Since the breakout of the Hamas-Israel war protests and demonstrations have unfolded across the globe, including college campuses in the U.S. Also stateside, there’s been a rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic harassment and incidents.