Suffolk County hate crimes detectives are investigating bias graffiti found Wednesday on an abandoned Central Islip church.
The graffiti targeting immigrants was scrawled on a concrete block wall outside the chapel at Gullhaven Drive near Carleton Avenue, police said. No arrests have been made.
State Sen. Monica R. Martinez (D-Brentwood) said a resident sent her a picture of the graffiti and she contacted Suffolk County 3rd Precinct detectives. Blue paint now covers the graffiti.
“The hateful vandalism found in Central Islip defies what this community represents and the values we share. While the intolerance fueling this threatening message has unfortunately become an epidemic in many corners of the world, we in Suffolk County will not give it a home,” Martinez said in a statement.
Islip Town officials referred questions seeking comment to Suffolk County police.
Islip Town Councilman Jorge Guadrón denounced the graffiti and urged other government officials to condemn the messaging. He said the Town of Islip had passed rules to prohibit any derogatory language at Town Board meetings.
“It is very unfortunate this type of rhetoric is being used in this part of the town where the majority of residents are of Hispanic descent,” said Guadrón, who was born in El Salvador and became a U.S. citizen in 1995.
Police ask anyone with information to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.
Suffolk County hate crimes detectives are investigating bias graffiti found Wednesday on an abandoned Central Islip church.
The graffiti targeting immigrants was scrawled on a concrete block wall outside the chapel at Gullhaven Drive near Carleton Avenue, police said. No arrests have been made.
State Sen. Monica R. Martinez (D-Brentwood) said a resident sent her a picture of the graffiti and she contacted Suffolk County 3rd Precinct detectives. Blue paint now covers the graffiti.
“The hateful vandalism found in Central Islip defies what this community represents and the values we share. While the intolerance fueling this threatening message has unfortunately become an epidemic in many corners of the world, we in Suffolk County will not give it a home,” Martinez said in a statement.
Islip Town officials referred questions seeking comment to Suffolk County police.
Islip Town Councilman Jorge Guadrón denounced the graffiti and urged other government officials to condemn the messaging. He said the Town of Islip had passed rules to prohibit any derogatory language at Town Board meetings.
“It is very unfortunate this type of rhetoric is being used in this part of the town where the majority of residents are of Hispanic descent,” said Guadrón, who was born in El Salvador and became a U.S. citizen in 1995.
Police ask anyone with information to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.