Palo Alto Police Investigate Graffiti Vandalism As Hate Crime

PALO ALTO, CA — Palo Alto police called a graffiti vandalism that was discovered at a park on Sunday a hate crime after officers found a racial epithet directed at African Americans on a curb.

The incident occurred at Heritage Park. A call came in around 10 a.m. on Sunday from a person who saw the graffiti, according to a news release.

The police department said that officers discovered blue spray paint of a "short sentence that included a racial epithet written in about five-inch tall letters on a concrete curb set in the ground that separates grass from dirt."

There is no information about a suspect at this time, according to police.

Officers also found 15 to 20 empty cans of alcohol, more spray paint of male genitalia and two first names painted nearby, the news release said.

A public works crew removed the paint. Police believe the crime took place on overnight on Saturday into Sunday.

"In the wake of recent national events and increased attention on hate crimes, the personnel of the Palo Alto Police Department continue to show their commitment to thoroughly investigating any reported hate crimes in Palo Alto," the police department said in a news release.

Anyone with information about this incident or any other hate crime in the community is asked to call the Palo Alto Police Department's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.