SCHENECTADY – City police are investing more than a dozen hate symbols, including multiple swastikas, found scrawled on downtown Schenectady buildings late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
The graffiti found had been written in chalk and the Schenectady Fire Department was called in to remove it overnight.
Police investigators documented the graffiti and are investigating it as a hate crime, police spokesman Sgt. Jeffrey McCutcheon said.
The investigation is including reviews of surveillance camera footage downtown, both public and business cameras, McCutcheon said.
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Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribeThe first call came in at around 11:30 p.m. for graffiti of a swastika spotted on St. Joseph’s Church at State and Lafayette streets, McCutcheon said.
Police responded there and checks soon uncovered at least 14 other incidents of the hate graffiti throughout the downtown area, all done in chalk, McCutcheon said. Other symbols found included symbols for anarchy and the pentagram. Police continued to check for others later Wednesday morning.
Other locations police and firefighters responded to for the graffiti overnight included the Lafayette Street side of the The Salvation Army, a brick wall at Zen on State Street and the walkway wall underneath the railroad overpass on State Street.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
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