Swastikas In Edmonds: Homes, Cars Vandalized With Nazi Graffiti

EDMONDS, WA - Edmonds police responded to at least seven reports of swastikas spray-painted on private property in the Westgate neighborhood Monday. Edmonds police say it appears someone walked through the neighborhood Sunday night spraying the symbol on homes and cars. Police are not investigating the incidents as hate crimes because they have found no evidence the graffiti targeted residents based on their race or religion.

On Monday morning, police took two reports of swastika graffiti, but took five more later in the day. The trail of swastikas traveled from the city of Edmonds outside into Esperance, which is an unincorporated area of Snohomish County inside of Edmonds. The sheriff's office is investigating those incidents separately. Patch.com has contacted the sheriff for more details.

The Westgate neighborhood is located north of SR 104 north of the PCC store and west of 92nd Avenue West.

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According to The Stranger newspaper, several Snohomish County Community Transit vehicles were hit with graffiti. According to photos from the scene, one car, a Mini Cooper, was spray-painted with the word "Trump;" the Hillary Clinton sticker on the bumper had been crossed out with spray-paint.

As of now, police do not have any suspects or a description of who might be responsible for the vandalism. Edmonds police Sgt. Josh McClure said that the vandal made errors in spray painting some swastikas, resulting in shapes that only appear similar to the symbol.

Edmonds Police Chief Al Compaan released a statement on the incidents: "This sort of criminal behavior has no place in our society and is strongly condemned by me and any who stand up for the law and basic human dignity. We are asking for the public's help with identifying suspects."

If you have information about the vandalism, contact Edmonds police at 425-771-0212 or epdtips.edmondswa.gov

There have been several neo-Nazi-related incidents around Puget Sound recently. In early March, someone vandalized a Seattle synagogue with anti-Semitic graffiti. The graffiti described the holocaust as "fake history." And since the beginning of 2017, neo-Nazi recruitment posters have been appearing around the University of Washington campus in Seattle.

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