Anti-immigrant graffiti sparks outrage, intimidation concerns in Alexandria ahead of election day
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Alexandria police are investigating anti-immigrant graffiti as a bias incident after offensive messages were spray-painted along a local trail, leaving community members concerned about intimidation just days before Election Day.
What we know:
The vandalism was discovered at multiple locations along the Mount Jefferson Park pathway on Clifford Avenue. The spray-painted messages included the words "ICE" and "REPORT TO DEPORT," accompanied by the ICE hotline telephone number painted beneath the text.
Investigators believe the incident occurred between 11 p.m. Friday and just before 7 a.m. Saturday. Alexandria police obtained a search warrant, released an image of a possible suspect and are reviewing photos provided by eyewitnesses that may depict the same individual.
The Alexandria Police Chief condemned the act, saying that incidents designed to intimidate people or make community members feel targeted have no place in the city.
Neighbors expressed fear and anger over the timing and nature of the vandalism, with several describing it as a tactic intended to sway the upcoming election.
What they're saying:
"I think it's very hateful, I mean I think if that person wanted to put that message there... I would go say it directly. I think this person doing this late at night shows that they know it's wrong. They're trying to scare people," said neighborhood resident Jenn Walker.
Another neighbor, Kristine Styry, echoed the sentiments, saying, "It's surprising that it was in this neighborhood... it's very blue, very liberal... I guess yeah, some kind of scare tactic to make people vote a certain way," Styry said.
This marks the second recent anti-immigration display in the area. Two weeks earlier, neighborhood residents awoke to find flyers placed on their vehicles bearing the seal of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The flyers urged people to report potential immigration and voting law violations.
DHS responds
In a written statement responding to inquiries regarding both the graffiti and the flyers, DHS said,"Vandalism is a crime, so is being in our country illegally. We encourage all patriotic Americans to help DHS law enforcement uphold the nation's immigration laws."
The investigation comes as Alexandria police prepare for the upcoming election. While the department emphasized that policing polling locations is not its role, officials affirmed that officers will uphold the Constitution.
Authorities continue to urge anyone with information about the suspect to contact the Alexandria Police Department.
The Source: Information in this article is from Alexandria police.