Feltonville store trashed in possible hate crime

A Feltonville seafood shop owned by a Palestinian-American was trashed by vandals who spray-painted anti-Iranian statements inside the building, a community spokesman said this afternoon.

Although the vandals misidentified the owner's ethnic background, Marwan Kriedie, executive director of the Philadelphia Arab-American Development Corp., said the incident should be investigated as a hate crime.

In addition to writing anti-Iranian statements, the vandals smashed windows and overturned display cases.

"We take these things very seriously," Kriedie said, adding that the store is actually owned by a Palestinian-American.

Kriedie said he had placed calls with the Mayor Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, and the city's Human Relations Commission to seek a hate-crime investigation. Kriedie said he may also ask the FBI to investigate.

The owner of Premium Seafood at 4725 N. Fifth St. discovered the damage this morning when he arrived to open the store for business, police said. The incident, classified as a burglary, is being investigated by the East Detective Division.

Kriedie said he learned about the incident from members in the Middle Eastern community in Philadelphia and was trying to speak with the owner.

A call to the store was unanswered.

There have not been similar incidents in Philadelphia since after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Kriedie said.

"This is relatively rare" in Philadelphia, he said.