HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Hanover County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after Mechanicsville High School’s football field was found vandalized with a swastika symbol.
The graffiti was found and reported to the school’s administration Monday morning.
“This obscene symbol of pure hate and intolerance has no place in our society and stands in direct opposition to the principles of unity, respect, and inclusion that we hold dear at our school and across our school division,” said Principal Charles Stevens and Superintendent Michael Gill in a joint statement.
According to officials, the incident was immediately reported to the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, which is currently investigating.
“The matter is still under investigation at this point, and we are working with Hanover County Public Schools as well as administration from Mechanicville High School to attempt to identify a suspect or suspects,” said a spokesperson with the sheriff’s office. “We strongly oppose the actions of those responsible and we are actively working to identify them and hold them accountable.”
Dovid Asher, Rabbi at Keneseth Beth Israel in Richmond’s West End, said it’s more important than ever for parents and teachers to address anti-semitism through education in the midst of a war between Israel and Hamas.
“It’s critically important that everyone help with this war on terror and extremism and make sure that Hamas, from a certain perspective, Naziism from another perspective, but have similar hateful ideologies, that they get eliminated as much as possible within society,” said Asher.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office at 804-365-6140.
