Swastika Drawn On Salem Common Bandstand

SALEM, MA – Salem Police are looking for the person who used a light blue marker to draw a swastika on a pillar at the Salem Common bandstand last Thursday afternoon.

The vandalism was reported on Sunday, according to Lt. Marc Berube, but surveillance tapes show it was drawn on Thursday around 1 p.m.

Berube said the graffiti has since been removed by the Salem Department of Public Works.

"Whether it was undertaken with malicious intent or stupidity, this action needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms," said Mayor Kim Driscoll in a statement.

"The very name of our community emanates from the Hebrew word for peace – Shalom," said Driscoll. "In Salem, we strive to be a welcoming and inclusive city and in the wake of this incident we will continue our work with our community partners like Salem's No Place for Hate Committee, the ADL, and others to continually educate, advocate and work toward that goal. We must be tireless in our efforts to bridge our differences and continue to support each other within the diverse, vibrant community we are fortunate enough to call home."

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