Swampscott Sidewalk Swastika Vandalism On Select Board's Agenda

SWAMPSCOTT, MA —The Swampscott Select Board is set to hold a discussion on the swastika found spray-painted on a neighborhood sidewalk, as well as vote on a series of proclamations involving holocaust remembrance and the opposition of antisemitism, during its Wednesday night meeting.

Swampscott police this weekend requested residents in the area of Redington Street and Forest Avenue check their home security footage for anything that would lead to the identification of the person or persons responsible for spray-painting a swastika in white paint on the sidewalk and spray-painting a white line across a parked vehicle.

Police said they believe the vandalism took place between 2 and 6 p.m. on Friday afternoon and that Det. Ted Delano had reached out to religious organizations in the town to inform them of the incident.

Police said that additional evidence that could lead to the identity of who was responsible for the vandalism was recovered from the area, but they did not reveal what it was.

The agenda for the Select Board meeting, which will be held in the Essex Room at Swampscott High School, includes a discussion of the incident, a motion to adopt a townwide definition of antisemitism, the declaration of January as Holocaust Remembrance Month in the town and the declaration of Jan. 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

A "No Place For Hate" rally is planned for Thursday at the gazebo at Linscott Park at 5:30 p.m.

The Select Board will also take up a conservation restriction that would keep the recently purchased Archer Street property as open space in perpetuity, and discuss 2023 goals for Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald.

Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to contact the Swampscott Police Department at 781-595-1111.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)