Police probe ‘horrific’ swastikas in Midtown
City police are investigating “horrific” and “hurtful” swastikas and other tags on multiple buildings and vehicles in Midtown Sunday, which included the Kingston Library, according to Mayor Steve Noble.
Noble said “approximately seven” buildings and vehicles were targeted Saturday night.
“The Kingston Police Department is investigating this horrific and hurtful graffiti in our city last night,” Noble said in an email to the Freeman. “I condemn this behavior and this investigation is the top priority of the Kingston Police Department detectives who are actively working this case.”
The tagged locations include the Kingston Library on the Franklin Street side where a
swastika was painted on a brick pillar on the Franklin Street, and a swastika and the numbers 666 were painted on an exterior door of the library facing Furnace Street. A star was also painted on a brick pillar on the Furnace Street side of the library.
Early Sunday afternoon, a Kingston Police cruiser was parked in a small parking lot adjacent to the door at the library. Police at the scene said they were investigating and referred comments to police headquarters. Top Kingston police officers were not immediately available for comment.
“I ask the public to report anyone or anything suspicious they may have seen last night in and around the Midtown Area,” Noble said. “We will work with property owners to remove these signs of hate as soon as the investigation allows.”
On a Facebook post in the afternoon, the mayor added, “We, as a community have to come together to stop HATE. It has no home here.”
Noble urged anyone who has more information to contact city police at (845) 331-1671.