Edmonds awoke Saturday morning to find the downtown core covered with fresh graffiti on shop windows, homes and facilities.
“The vandals totally went to town everywhere – it wasn’t just a couple of businesses,” said Edmonds police spokesperson Commander Shane Hawley. “They hit multiple blocks along Main Street between 4th and 7th Avenues, and also down 5th Avenue. The vandalism didn’t appear to be targeted to any particular businesses – it was indiscriminate. Everything was a target – shops, private homes, even electrical boxes — if it was there, they marked it.”
According to Hawley, the graffiti was an apparent protest of the current Israel/Hamas conflict.
“It all comprised phrases like “free Palestine,” “stop the war,” “stop the genocide,” “cease fire,” he explained. “There was no apparent hate speech or direct antisemitic language. It was all anti-war.
“At this point we have no information on who did this or how many were involved,” he continued. “We’ll be talking with shop owners and others as businesses open today. Many businesses have security cameras, so we’ll be looking for any surveillance video or photos they may have that could help identify suspects and/or vehicles that may have been involved.”
Because the investigation will involve talking with and collecting information from numerous sources — police estimate between 40 and 50 businesses were hit — Hawley said that it will “take some time” to get it all together. Edmonds police will provide updates as more information becomes available.
— By Larry Vogel