By Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–Westport police have arrested a 69-year-old Bridgeport man accused of painting antisemitic symbols in Westport and Fairfield.

John Kuhn is accused of painting a Star of David combined with swastikas in blue paint on the former Westport National Bank branch at 1495 Post Road East, Westport, in the summer. He turned himself in to Westport police on Monday and was charged with felony third-degree intimidation based on bigotry/bias, and third-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.

Kuhn faces similar charges in Fairfield.

Stacey Sobel, Connecticut regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the organization was aware of seven nearly identical symbols painted in a three-week period in the area.

“The impact it has on the Jewish community is a feeling of intimidation,” she said, adding that it was especially upsetting to see a symbol “associating Jews with the most terrifying, darkest period in Jewish history.”

Sobel said the vandalisms are part of a stark increase in antisemitic incidents the ADL has seen in Connecticut – a 560% rise over the past five years. In 2024, that included 104 harassments, 53 vandalisms and 2 assaults, she said.

“Hatred toward Jewish people has been increasing in Connecticut and the nation,” she said.

When the Westport vandalism was reported, on Aug. 7, town police conferred with other departments and identified Kuhn as a suspect.

“Through information sharing, it was learned that multiple other Connecticut police departments had investigated complaints of almost identical symbols being painted on various structures,” police said.

Kuhn was arrested by Fairfield police on Sept. 18 and charged with incidents reported there on Aug. 10, 25, 28 and 29. In each incident, he has been charged with third-degree intimidation through bigotry/bias. He also has been charged with criminal mischief in each incident – first degree in the first case and second degree in the others.

He is due in Superior Court in Bridgeport on those charges on Jan. 13, 2026.

After turning himself in to Westport police on Monday, police said, Kuhn was unable to make $75,000 bail and was taken to Superior Court in Stamford for arraignment. Court records show that he was released on a promise to return for his next appearance on the Westport charge on Jan. 28, 2026.

Ken Valenti

^{_{A career journalist and lifelong resident of the New York City region, Ken Valenti has enjoyed decades of reporting local, regional and national news in New York and Connecticut. Topics of special interest are development, the environment, Long Island Sound and transportation. When not reporting, he’s always on the lookout for the perfect coffee shop or used book sale.}}