1 POLICE INVESTIGATE CHALK SWASTIKAS ON SIDEWALK
Diane Sloyer interpreted three swastikas with the words “good luck” scribbled in chalk on downtown sidewalks this week as a challenge to the Jewish community.
“It is disturbing,” said Sloyer, CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien. “It is hard to wake up in the morning not knowing what we are going to see on that particular day.”
Police are looking for a man wearing a backpack who was caught on surveillance video near the Ferguson Library around 3: 30 a. m. Thursday. One of the swastikas with the message “good luck” and a picture of a heart was drawn on the sidewalk outside the Broad Street library.
Similar drawings were found Thursday morning in front of 285 Bedford St. and 11 Forest St.
Lt. Tom Scanlon said officers have been speaking to downtown business owners and examining security videos. Police have released pictures of the suspect, but have not captured an image of the person’s face.
Scanlon said police are also investigating whether the drawings might not be intended as swastikas, but rather are symbols related to the Hindu celebration of Diwali, which ended Thursday.
“We need to identify who this person is and get an understanding of his background and try to understand his motivation before we can get a definitive idea of the meaning of the drawings,” Scanlon said. “Whether he was trying to cause alarm or whether there is a Diwali connection is relevant.”