{"id":292157,"date":"2021-07-06T20:42:42","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T17:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/california-cops-probe-graffiti-on-mlk-statue-as-hate-crime\/"},"modified":"2021-07-06T20:42:42","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T17:42:42","slug":"california-cops-probe-graffiti-on-mlk-statue-as-hate-crime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/california-cops-probe-graffiti-on-mlk-statue-as-hate-crime\/","title":{"rendered":"#California cops probe graffiti on MLK statue as hate crime"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#California cops probe graffiti on MLK statue as hate crime<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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A statue of Martin Luther King Jr. in California was vandalized with \u201chorrific graffiti\u201d in a despicable act that\u2019s being investigated as a hate crime, officials say.<\/p>\n

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said the likeness of the civil rights icon at Martin Luther King Jr. Park was defaced over the July Fourth holiday weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe LBPD are investigating this as a hate crime and we are working to catch whoever committed this awful act,\u201d Garcia tweeted<\/a> Monday. \u201cOur MLK statue is a symbol of hope and justice for the community. This hate and desecration has no place in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

A photo posted to Twitter<\/a> showed the statue spray-painted with what app<\/a>eared to be a swastika and SS bolts \u2014 two common neo-Nazi and white supremacy symbols, according to the Anti-Defamation League.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the second time in two years that the Martin Luther King Jr. statue has been vandalized since it\u2019s been up at MLK Park here in Long Beach,\u201d the tweet read. \u201cThis city has a major hidden white supremacists issue and it needs to be addressed ASAP.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Long Beach police spokesman told The Post that cops responded to the park Friday afternoon for a report of hate- or bias-motivated vandalism and discovered graffiti on the front of the statue.<\/p>\n

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This is the second time in two years that the Martin Luther King Jr. statue has been vandalized since it\u2019s been up at MLK Park here in Long Beach. This city has a major hidden white supremacists issue and it needs to be addressed ASAP pic.twitter.com\/K5V0gVbA0O<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Spanish Mic_L\u00e9Goat (@kill_miguel24) July 4, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The graffiti was later removed by the city\u2019s Parks and Recreation Department, spokesman Richard Mejia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe incident is being investigated as a hate crime,\u201d Mejia wrote in an email. \u201cNo suspect information is available.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hateful graffiti is \u201cno small issue,\u201d Assistant Police Chief Wally Hebeish told the Long Beach Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are taking this as seriously as it has to be,\u201d Hebeish said.<\/p>\n

City officials replaced a plaque at the base of the statue in February that had been stolen in 2019, the Los Angeles Times reported<\/a>. The likeness of King was reportedly installed at the acre-plus park in 1986.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must use this time creatively \u2026 and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right,\u201d the plaque quoting King read.<\/p>\n

\"The
Cops responded to the park Friday afternoon for a report of hate- or bias-motivated vandalism and discovered graffiti on the front of the statue.<\/figcaption>
Media<\/a>News<\/a> Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Activists held a \u201cStand for Peace\u201d rally at the park Saturday while calling for an end to hate in the California city southwest of Los Angeles. Some people held signs reading, \u201cWhite silence is violence,\u201d KTLA reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hearts were broken when we saw the posts on social media,\u201d organizer Mary Simmons told the Long Beach Post. \u201cWe can stand by and do nothing, or we can stand up against it.\u201d\n <\/p><\/div>\n