“I am sorry to report that over the weekend first on Friday evening, and again on Saturday afternoon, Bedford Police discovered offensive graffiti, including swastikas and other inappropriate and racist content, painted along the back of a private building at Great Road Shopping Center, and on a storage shed at Shawsheen Cemetery. Our Police Department, in partnership with the District Attorney, is investigating this incident and will be reviewing surveillance cameras to try to determine who committed these heinous acts. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Police Department at 781-275-1212.
Whether this was done with malicious intent or just out of ignorance, it is an action that must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. This incident is evidence that no community, even one as welcoming as Bedford, is immune from hatred and that we must remain ever vigilant in denouncing these acts and in supporting efforts to combat bigotry and hatred in any form. Five years ago these sorts of despicable acts resulted in the Bedford community coming together to stand up for the value of respecting our neighbors and embracing diversity.
In Bedford, we strive to be a welcoming and inclusive community and, in the wake of this incident, we will continue to work with community partners like Bedford Response System in Voluntary Partnership (RSVP), the Bedford Interfaith Clergy Network, Bedford Embraces Diversity, the Anti-Defamation League, and others to educate and advocate toward this goal. We must be tireless in our efforts to bridge our differences and continue to support each other within the diverse, vibrant community that we are fortunate enough to call home.”
A Statement from the Bedford Interfaith Clergy Network
“The Bedford Interfaith Clergy share in the disappointment and anger felt by many in our community upon hearing of last week’s anti-Semitic vandalism. Coming in a time when so many are understandably distressed by our shared public health challenges, learning of hate-speech in our town only adds fuel to our frustrations. Expression of hate, especially symbols of white supremacy, have no place in our community and do not reflect the values of inclusivity, mutual respect, and curiosity about differences that define who we are. As we enter holy days this week for Christians and Jews alike, we affirm that the divine image of beloved community includes all people, and we pledge to continue working in our own traditions and with others to replace hatred with respect, ignorance with understanding, and animosity with shalom.”
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