Adam Edward Braun, 34, of Eugene, pled guilty to two counts of intentionally defacing Temple Beth Israel and one count of attempting to intentionally damage the synagogue, the Justice Department confirmed on Tuesday.
Braun targeted the synagogue in Eugene on multiple occasions, according to court documents. Between September 10 and 11, Braun allegedly spraypainted “1377” onto the exterior of the synagogue.
The digits graffitied were allegedly selected based on their similarity to “1488,” Braun admitted.
“1488” is a neo-Nazi code referencing the 14 words coined by The Order’s David Lane: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children,” according to the anti-Defamation League. “88” is the numerical equivalent to “HH,” used as a code for “Heil Hitler.”
Months after the initial attack, Braun admitted to returning to the synagogue, where he attempted to smash the building’s glass doors with a ball-peen hammer. However, after noticing security cameras, Braun said he withdrew to a different part of the building where he graffitied “white power.”
Braun now faces a year in prison for each respective charge, fines, and restitution to the synagogue.
Braun’s involvement in neo-Nazi groups
When investigators went to arrest Braun, they discovered a trove of Nazi memorabilia and artifacts, according to Oregon Live. In Braun’s home, officers uncovered photographs of Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, Nazi literature and memorabilia, Ku Klux Klan robes and flags, and pamphlets on “What it means to be a Klansman.”
Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said after Braun’s arrest, according to Oregon Public Broadcast, “The level that this person has immersed themselves into white nationalism and Nazi culture, it’s the type of thing that we want to make sure our community knows exists…And maybe equally as important, [it’s] the type of thing that we want our community to know we take very seriously.”
Ruhi Sophia Rubenstein, the rabbi for Temple Beth Israel, told local media, “When I see this graffiti, I’m of course very saddened [and] angered, but it doesn’t shock me deeply [but] I’m also able to keep the perspective of knowing that we have far more allies than we have haters.”
Members of the synagogue volunteered to cover up the graffiti.
“This person pasted (some paper) over the word ‘white’ and painted hearts on it instead so that it said ‘heart power,’” she said. “I think that story is just really indicative of the way people in our community show up.”
