Racist Graffiti Appears at Kendrick Park, Sparking Debate Over Town Response

Racist graffiti appeared at Kendrick Park and on electrical boxes in Amherst in late August, prompting an investigation by the police department while town officials and community leaders debated the transparency of the response.

The graffiti was first reported on August 24 at Kendrick Park and on three electrical boxes around town. The Department of Public Works and police removed it the same day, but it reappeared at Kendrick Park on August 25. According to witness reports, the graffiti included painted swastikas and triskeles and stickers reading "white power – goodnight" with an image of a gun pointed at a Black cartoon face. The triskele, an ancient symbol, was appropriated by the Nazis during World War II and is used by contemporary white power movements.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman issued a statement on September 8, more than two weeks after the initial report. He said the Police Department is actively investigating and that the town's staff removed the graffiti immediately. "Hateful symbols such as this do not reflect the values of our Town," Bockelman wrote.

Rani Parker, outgoing chair of the Amherst Human Rights Commission, praised the quick removal but criticized the town's delayed public statement and generic language. "I'm glad that town management recognizes that this type of information should go out right away, not more than two weeks later," Parker said. She called for statements that speak more specifically to affected residents rather than claiming all visitors and residents feel welcomed.

Debora Ferreira, co-chair of the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee, said the town must be more transparent about hateful incidents and notify relevant committees without delay. "A mere statement to the public is not enough," Ferreira said. "More needs to be done to assure our communities that the town is committed to addressing hate and racism in our town."