Vandals leave swastikas, ‘Trump’ on Edmonds cars

Edmonds suffered a vandalism spree early Monday morning after several cars were found with spray-painted swastikas. One vehicle was marked with the name “Trump.”

Related: Bias crimes on the rise around Puget Sound communities

“This sort of criminal behavior has no place in our society and is strongly condemned by me and any who stand up for the law and basic human dignity,” said Edmonds Police Chief Al Compaan. “We are asking for the public’s help with identifying suspects.”

By Monday afternoon, Edmonds police took five reports of damage that included the swastika symbol to private property, mostly cars. There were two reports in the Westgate neighborhood. Police received additional reports nearby in unincorporated parts of the city — the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office responded to those incidents. KOMO reports that a total of eight vehicles were vandalized with spray paint, including the one car marked with “Trump.”

Police note that none of the victims seem to have been targeted for their ethnicity, religion or relation to the LGBTQ community. The police department, however, is investigating the incidents as potential hate crimes. The FBI has been notified about the vandalism. Snohomish County Sheriff’s detectives are also investigating.

Edmonds police are asking for help identifying suspects in the crimes. You can contact the police department at 425-771-0212 or on their website.

The vandalism comes in the wake of other bias crimes throughout the region. A Jewish temple on Capitol Hill was also recently targeted with spray paint. A Jewish center on Mercer Island suffered a bomb threat not long before that. Local mosques have received a number of threats. And the University of Washington has experienced a rise in neo-Nazi posters plastered throughout its campus.

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