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<\/a><\/p>\nFormer U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the National Cathedral on November 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The alleged arson broke out early Friday morning, damaging a historic home in Zionsville, Indiana, where Pence lives, and causing an estimated $150,000 in damages, according to the Zionsville Police Department.<\/p>\n
Zionsville Mayor John Stehr said during a press conference on Friday that officials believed the fire began when an individual set fire to an Israeli flag that had been displayed outside the building alongside an American flag. The town later announced that the FBI had joined the investigation and that officials were examining whether the arson \u201cmay have been motivated by bias\u201d but said no determination had been made.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely despicable,\u201d Pence tweeted on Sunday. \u201cThere can be no tolerance in America for Antisemitism or political acts of violence, and it is heartbreaking to see in our adopted hometown of Zionsville, Indiana. We thank God no one was hurt and urge anyone with information to contact law enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pence has long cast himself as a staunch supporter of Israel, including after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, and has also repeatedly spoken out against antisemitism in the conservative movement and beyond.<\/p>\n
Republican Indiana Sen. Jim Banks also condemned the alleged arson in a post on X Saturday. \u201cAntisemitism will not be tolerated. Not in Zionsville. Not in Indiana. Not anywhere,\u201d Banks wrote. \u201cThank you to the federal, state, and local officials working to bring the perpetrators of this despicable arson attack to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Sunday, the Jewish community in central Indiana hosted a rally condemning the alleged arson attack, chanting, \u201cWe will stand up,\u201d according to local outlet Fox 59. While Zionsville does not have a large Jewish community of its own, other suburbs of Indianapolis have significant Jewish populations, and Zionsville is also the longtime home of a Reform movement summer camp, the Goldman Union Camp Institute, which is in session now.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe founding fathers founded a country where we have the ability to resolve differences among each other; we don\u2019t do it by firebombing homes,\u201d rally organizer David Schiller told Fox 59. \u201cIt\u2019s inexcusable and unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Zionsville Police Department did not respond to an inquiry from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the status of the investigation on Monday.<\/p>\n