Hate speech vandalism in Arroyo Grande

April 4, 2011

By KAREN VELIE

Vandals broke into Mesa Middle School in Arroyo Grande over the weekend and covered classroom whiteboards in anti-black and Jewish graffiti, according to the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s department.

Statements such as “White Power, Fuck Niggers and Jews” alongside swastikas were posted in an undisclosed number of classrooms at 2555 Halcyon Road in an unincorporated section of Arroyo Grande.

In addition, the suspects took California state flags from each of the classrooms and did minor damage to classroom fixtures. Sheriff officials are asking anyone who notices a current or former student of the junior high school with a 12-foot by 18-foot American flag to call school resource officer Dale Andersen at (805) 473-7139.

Students and teachers are currently on spring break.

San Luis Obispo Sheriff officials do not think the hate speech graffiti and theft has any connection to last month’s burning of an 11-foot cross outside an African American’s home on Elm Street in Arroyo Grande.

“Our initial investigation has determined that this crime is not related to the cross burning incident that happened inside the city limits of Arroyo Grande.” said San Luis Obispo Sheriff south station Commander, Ken Conway.

Nevertheless, several Arroyo Grande residents who claim on Facebook and Myspace to be skinheads, have photos of themselves in front of flags posted online along with statements about keeping non-whites out of Arroyo Grande.

CORRECTION: The flags were California state flags not American flags.

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