Palo Alto Police Launch Hate Crime Investigation After Racist Graffiti Found On School Campus
PALO ALTO (CBS SF) – A hate crime investigation has been launched by Palo Alto Police after racist graffiti was found on an elementary school campus earlier this week.
Police were called to the campus of El Carmelo Elementary on Bryant Street Monday afternoon on reports of vandalism that took place over the weekend.
According to a preliminary investigation, police said the suspect wrote a racial epithet directed at Black people on a sign. The suspect also crossed out a cartoon image on the same sign that depicted two non-White children.
Police said after the vandalism was discovered, school officials promptly removed the sign.
"The City of Palo Alto strongly denounces hate crimes of all kinds, and encourages members of our community to promptly report these incidents," police said in a statement.
A suspect description was not immediately available.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Palo Alto Police by calling 650-329-2413. Tips can also be given anonymously by emailing paloalto@tipnow.org or by sending a text or voicemail to 650-383-8984.