Neighbors discovered a Montgomery County elementary school in Maryland and a nearby building were vandalized over the weekend.
The graffiti was left overnight and included “anti-Semitic phrases” according to the local news outlets.
Montgomery County police said officers were called to Bethesda Elementary School at 7600 Arlington Road around 7:14 a.m. for a report of vandalism that happened “during the overnight hours.” It said similar graffiti was also found at a nearby building at 4900 Del Ray Avenue.
Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson told WTOP he saw “disturbing photos” of the graffiti left outside of the school. The school is also the site for a weekly farmer’s market he often attends on Sunday mornings.
Friedson said he immediately notified the police and Montgomery County Public Schools, as well as Bethesda Urban Partnership, who began leading the cleanup efforts early.
“I will say, there were a large number of residents, including children, who were helping and supporting the efforts from the Bethesda Urban Partnership team and others who are cleaning the graffiti,” he added.
Montgomery County has encountered a number of antisemitic incidents over the past few years, including highly publicized incidents at two other Bethesda schools.
“As we are only two weeks away from the start of the school year, it is imperative that we recognize the emotional harm actions like this have on everyone. I understand that this incident may have caused fear or concern, and I ask us all to have the necessary discussions to bring us together, to foster unity rather than division,” said Bethesda Elementary School Principal Lisa Seymour in a statement.
“This action is not only offensive but is divisive and goes against our school district and community values in every sense. Our schools must remain a safe place for all students, families, and staff,” she said.
The police do not currently have any suspects or descriptions available, but they are actively investigating the incident.