A suspect was apprehended on Nov. 4 for allegedly vandalizing a Minnesota elementary school with graffiti, which included a swastika.
The Star Tribune reports that the vandalism occurred at Concord Elementary School in Edina, Minn. during the weekend and that there was “other offensive graffiti” in addition to the swastika. The suspect doesn’t appear to be connected to the school; otherwise, nothing else is publicly known about the suspect.
Edina Public Schools Superintendent John Schultz wrote in a Nov. 4 email to community members that the district is “committed to creating a school culture where all feel welcome and respected” and “that these types of incidents are carried out by individuals who do not reflect the sentiments of the community as a whole. They remind us, however, that we must be vigilant in our work around equity and cultural understanding.”
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg said in a statement to the Journal, “Individuals targeting schools with swastikas and hateful graffiti are intending to spread fear. Schools are welcoming places for students, and we commend the school district for its strong response. Following a hate incident, we must come together and affirm that there is no place for hate in any community.”
In August, a swastika and the words “k—s must die” were spray-painted on a door of Lake Harriet Upper Elementary school in southwestern Minneapolis. Goldenberg told the Journal at the time that it was “another troubling example of the 46 percent increase in school-based anti-Semitic incidents since 2016” and that it’s important to teach “the history of anti-Semitism and equipping students and educators with the tools needed to confront hate.”
The Stop Antisemitism.org watchdog tweeted, “Swastikas in our elementary schools; is this really what we want for our children in 2019?!”
Swastikas in our Elementary schools; is this really what we want for our children in 2019?! https://t.co/iw9tfcovOF
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 5, 2019
