Nazi Symbols Painted On Lakewood Driveway

LAKEWOOD, OH — Two swastikas were painted on the driveway of a Belle Avenue home between late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Someone also smashed a window out on a vehicle parked at the Belle Avenue home and a third swastika was found painted in the street on Belle. Police are investigating the incidents, a spokesperson told Patch.

Police say the incidents took place sometime between late Tuesday and early Wednesday. The victim had no idea who would target them for this kind of attack.

During a follow-up investigation, police found a third swastika painted on the street, in front of a neighboring Belle Avenue home. Police continue to investigate the incident and if anyone has information that may aid that investigation, they are asked to contact Lakewood Police at 216-521-6773.

Several prominent community members have already commented with revulsion over the vandalism.

After originally posting a photo of the swastikas, Ohio Representative Nicki Antonio deleted her picture and said, "...somehow it seems to give the symbols too much energy." She added that the painting of the symbols was a "sickening" act.

"I live on Belle and it is a street with many children and much love and much looking out for each other. We will not accept this escalation and use of symbols of hate in our community or our country. We must all say no to this wave of hate and fear that grips our nation right now," Antonio said in a post on Facebook.

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“Lakewood works very hard to maintain vibrant, inclusive and safe neighborhoods, and this type of shock graffiti has no place in Lakewood," Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers said in a statment. "Hateful acts must be condemned and confronted whereever they occur. Our Police Department will work very hard to identify and prosecute the parties responsible for this violent and repulsive act.”

The painting of symbols connected to the white nationalist movement comes as Ohio finds itself connected to the racially motivated violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. James Alex Fields Jr., 20, from Maumee, drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters at the rally near the University of Virginia campus. He reportedly hit and killed Heather Heyer, 32.

The community has already responded by organizing the No Hate In Lakewood event on Sunday. The event promises to promote solidarity and peace in the community and will be held at 2:30 p.m. at City Center Park. More information on that event can be found here.

Photo from Lakewood Police