A man accused of spray painting swastikas and “ICE rules” on buildings in Little Village was “motivated by anger against Palestinians and Latinos,” prosecutors said at a hearing on Tuesday.
Philip Dominguez, 38, faces multiple felony counts of hate crime and criminal damage to property.
Between July 19 and 20, Dominguez allegedly spray painted swastikas on four different neighborhood buildings, housing community organizations, a local business and an office of an elected official.
“While this is not a violent offense, it is certainly a harmful one,” Judge Ankur Srivastava told Dominguez in court Tuesday. “No child should have to walk down the street and see that and feel they are not welcome.”
On July 19, Dominguez allegedly spray-painted a swastika over a Palestinian flag at the Chicago Liberation Center, 2712 W. Cermak Rd, according to prosecutors.
He then went a few doors down to another community organization, Latinos Progresando, 2724 W. Cermak Rd, where surveillance footage captured him spray painting another swastika, prosecutors said.
Dominguez allegedly proceeded to La Fruteria grocery store, where he spray-painted multiple swastikas over a mural that read “Free Palestine,” before spray-painting another outside the offices of state Sen. Celina Villanueva. Then Dominguez allegedly went back to La Fruteria and spray-painted the phrase “ICE rules.”
Chicago’s Latino community has been on edge since President Donald Trump assumed office this year and implemented aggressive immigration enforcement efforts.
“We know that many in our community are frightened, and events like the one this morning make that fear even more real,” Latinos Progresando wrote in a statement on July 19. “While these perpetrators are emboldened to terrorize, we call on our neighbors, elected leaders, and all Chicagoans to be even more emboldened to stand together in the fight to protect our communities.”
There is also widespread fear among local Palestinian and Muslim communities, as targeted hate crimes have risen since the start of the war in Gaza.
Dominguez turned himself in to police Saturday after seeing his image in media reports, according to prosecutors.
He allegedly admitted to officers he was “motivated by anger against Palestinians and Latinos,” and actions relating to Palestine and support for immigration.
Dominguez, a longtime Little Village resident, has no prior criminal history. He was released pending trial, but ordered to stay away from the businesses and any witnesses.