Chicago Woman Charged With Hate Crime, Attacks, Mural Vandalism in Pilsen

Danielle Wasserman, a 37-year-old woman from Pilsen, Chicago, has been charged with multiple hate crime counts, aggravated battery, and criminal damage to property for vandalizing a mural that symbolizes solidarity between the Mexican and Palestinian communities. The mural, depicting a Mexican man and a Palestinian man resting peacefully, was defaced by Wasserman who painted pro-Israel messages, burned the face of the Palestinian figure, and spread feces on the mural and surrounding area. Wasserman also attacked two individuals who confronted her: on May 9, she assaulted a neighbor identified as Laith, strangling them with a scarf, and on June 13, she violently attacked Natalie Figueroa with a metal three-hole puncher while vandalizing the mural. The attacks and vandalism have sparked calls from community leaders and advocacy groups such as CAIR-Chicago for justice and recognition of the incidents as hate crimes. Wasserman was arrested without incident and is scheduled for court hearings. Attorneys representing the victims emphasize that these charges challenge the impunity often surrounding Zionist violence and highlight the power of community solidarity in demanding accountability.