Community Corner
'Hate Has No Home Here,' Loudoun Residents Remove Racist, Antisemitic Graffiti
Community members worked together over the weekend to cover racist, homophobic, and antisemitic graffiti at a South Riding shopping center.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Racist, homophobic, and antisemitic graffiti was spray-painted onto a sidewalk outside the Food Lion store in South Riding Town Center. Over the weekend, community members held an inclusivity rally and worked to remove and cover the graffiti with positive messages.
The rally was led by Loudoun4All, a local advocacy group. Quante Timbers of Timbers Landscaping used a power washer to help young volunteers erase some of the more hateful rhetoric and racial slurs.
Authorities have not publicly identified any suspects in connection with the graffiti.
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"The LCSO takes this very seriously and is working with our station detectives, school resource officers, and our FBI task force member, and is reviewing social media and other potential leads to determine who is responsible for this vile act," the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said in a report.
When a power washer was unable to fully remove the racist graffiti, community members used chalk over the spray paint. Messages that used to include racial slurs now include hearts. New messages say "Spread love not hate." 
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In addition to their work covering the graffiti, rallygoers also stood along the roadway and spread messages of kindness and acceptance.
"We will not remain silent in the face of hate," Loudoun4All said in a news release. "Hate has no home here in Loudoun County."
In a news release on Sunday, Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney Buta Biberaj expressed similar sentiments.
"Without a doubt, Loudoun County is made better and stronger by the diversity of our residents," Biberaj said in a statement. "This public display of hate speech is sadly another reminder that there are some who will choose to try and divide our community, or worse threaten our safety. The intentional attack on specific, marginalized groups within our county will not be tolerated."
Anyone who may have more information about the people responsible for the graffiti can contact the sheriff's office at 703-777-1919.
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