James Polite: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

On Friday afternoon, police in New York arrested 26-year-old James Polite, a Brooklyn man accused of vandalizing a synagogue with anti-Semitic graffiti. Questions are swirling about Polite, and many people on social media are wondering whether he is the same James Polite who was profiled by the New York Times back in 2017. The young man in that profile, who self-identified as “queer,” grew up in the foster care system and grew up to volunteer for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, registering voters and canvassing in Brooklyn. He eventually found work with Christine Quinn while she was the City Council Speaker. He also worked on Quinn’s unsuccessful campaign for mayor of New York in 2013. You can read the Times article here.

On Saturday afternoon, Christine Quinn issued a statement confirming that she did know James Polite well. She said that Polite had grown up in and out of the city’s foster care system and had suffered from mental health issues throughout his life. Quinn also said she was “devastated” by his actions and denounced the graffiti at Union Temple, which she called a “vile expression of anti-Semitism.”

Here’s what we know about James Polite:
1. Police Say Polite Wrote ‘Die, Jew Rats’ & Other Hateful Messages Inside a Historic Brooklyn Synagogue


excerpt: The NYPD confirmed to Heavy that arresting officers had Polite committed to the psychiatric ward at the Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn. According to a spokesperson, the arresting officers likely brought Polite to the psychiatric ward because of his behavior during the arrest. She wasn’t able to provide any details about the arrest.

https://heavy.com/news/2018/11/james-polite/