Two Oklahoma City buildings vandalized with racist, and anti-Semitic rhetoric
Authorities are trying to find out who placed racist and anti-gay graffiti outside of a Democratic Party office
The Democratic Party office in Oklahoma City was vandalized with hateful and racist anti-Semitic messages that were discovered Thursday morning, the Tulsa World reports.
That building as well as a Chickasaw Nation office which is across from it, was vandalized as well.
The former Gov. David Walters and his wife, Rhonda Walters, own the building where the Democratic office is located, the newspaper reported on its website.
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The racist, neo-Nazi messages sprawled across a sidewalk outside and in the buildings.
One message said: “Gas the Jews.” Another read: “White planet only. Gas the rest.” Another had hateful anti-Black and anti-gay slurs.
According to the World, a manifesto was left on the front of Democratic Headquarters building and a Nazi swastika was spray painted on the entrance to the buildings.
“I am just horrified,” said Waters, after a maintenance worker notified him about the racist graffiti.
“It is very disheartening to see our building defaced by this type of hateful message which is so out of place for Oklahoma,” said Bill Anoatubby, governor of the Chickasaw Nation, based in Ada. “We believe it is important to move past this isolated incident and focus our attention on the important work we do.”
Oklahoma City Police Capt. Bo Mathews says the vandalism is being investigated as a hate crime.
The Chickasaw Nation location was able to capture video footage of the suspect at work and police have released photos of the woman from the surveillance video.
“In marginalized communities, this is the sort of thing that is encountered all the time. We hope for an Oklahoma that is inclusive and that welcomes all people, but we simply are not there today,” said Allie Shinn, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, an LGBT advocacy group.
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The Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt condemned the racist graffiti. “It does not reflect who we are as a state,” he said.
Anna Langthron, chairwoman and executive director of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, feels the incident has incited fear in those in marginalized communities.
“It hurts,” said T. Sheri Dickerson, executive director of Black Lives Matter OKC. “It can be quite weary. I stay encouraged by those who offer support and love.”
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt released a statement on Facebook blasting the suspects.
