Anti-Semitic, Racist Graffiti Painted On Virginia High School

Godwin High School in Henrico County, Virginia. Image by Google Maps

By Marcy Oster May 14, 2019

(JTA) — Anti-Semitic and racist graffiti including swastikas were painted on a high school in eastern Virginia.

The graffiti were discovered at Godwin High School in Henrico County on Sunday morning, according to local media.

The graffiti included an image which “depicted a violent threat” along with the date May 15, which is marked in the Arab world as Nakba Day, which means Catastrophe and is the date on the Gregorian calendar marking the foundation of the state of Israel. Other graffiti said “KKK forever” and “You will die.”

The incident at the high school comes after similar graffiti was found on fences and road signs throughout western Henrico on Friday, the local CBS affiliate WTVR reported.

“The content of the vandalism is concerning and our detectives are investigating the potential of this being a hate crime,” said Henrico Police spokeswoman Lauren Hummel, according to the daily newspaper the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

School officials also met with the CEO of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond on Sunday to share information and updates about the situation, the Times-Dispatch reported.

“When you see words and symbols like this you’re immediately nervous or scared or concerned,” Federation Chief Executive Daniel Staffenberg told the local ABC affiliate WRIC.

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