Officials: Medford Will Not Tolerate Hateful Graffiti

Local officials and clergy members gathered Monday on a South Medford basketball court hit by anti-Semitic graffiti over the weekend to reject the efforts of vandals to spread hate speech.

"Today, we again say with one voice that these hateful messages and symbols will not be be tolerated in our community, in our home," said Mayor Michael McGlynn at the press conference.

Medford Police Chief Leo Sacco said around 20 different spots around the Columbus Elementary School and the nearby Columbus Park were hit with the graffiti.

Sacco said more hateful messages were found on street signs on Willis Avenue, across Main Street to Tufts Park and the Curtis Tufts School as well as side streets between Main Street and several Tufts University athletic fields.

He said police suspect the incidents took place between approximately 10 p.m. Saturday until the early morning hours Sunday.

The graffiti included swastikas and statements including "Aryan Pride" among others.

All of the graffiti has been removed from affected areas, including a spot directly in front of where Monday's press conference podium was set up on the basketball court.

Sacco said he hopes anyone who saw any activity in the affected areas will step forward and contact police.

"We honestly believe there is actually someone out there who knows who did this," Sacco said. "They may have even been present and actually realize that what the person did was wrong."

Sacco said he believes it was a "very angry person" who perpetrated the crimes. As of Monday around noon, Sacco said police are following leads but don't have any suspects.

Local officials strongly condemned the actions Monday, saying they are not reflective of the diverse community in Medford.

"I know that this community is far too strong to put up with this kind of behavior, no matter how misguided...We are not indifferent and we are not neutral, this cannot stand," said Medford Public School Superintendent Roy Belson.

"We will not let the actions of a few sully the reputation of a great city," said Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian. 

Koutoujian said his department's Graffiti Removal Unit will be assisting city police and officials Tuesday in returning the impacted areas to their previous condition.

"This will only make the city of Medford stronger," said city Human Rights Department Director Diane McLeod. "It will make our voices louder."

The Anti-Defamation League offered the following statement on the graffiti incidents:

“Marking public and private property with symbols of hate is an act of intimidation that that affects our entire community, not just those groups identified,” said Robert Trestan, ADL Acting New England Regional Director. “It is most disturbing that this graffiti was found outside of an Elementary School where young children come to learn and should feel safe. The Medford Police Department has made it clear that these acts will not be tolerated and we commend their efforts. It is critical that society send a message back to those who seek to provoke hostility by combining our efforts to fight hate and bigotry, and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.”