Racist graffiti in Merrick, Mineola latest in "bias incident" uptick

Nassau County Police are investigating the latest in a series of incidents involving racist graffiti, this time in Merrick.

According to police, on Dec. 16, a customer at the 7-Eleven on Merrick Avenue discovered anti-Semitic graffiti in block letters written on an outside wall.

Detectives are currently investigating.

This incident is one of several in the area in recent weeks, and came as New York City police have reported a 400 percent increase in such incidents since the Nov. 8 election, according to an Associated Press report.

On Dec. 16, police began investigating multiple swastikas drawn in a bathroom at Nassau County Community College. Also, in Mineola on Nov. 30, police discovered a spray-painted swastika, accompanied by the phrase, “Make America white again,” on a Washington Avenue home. Also, police found “vulgar and disparaging remarks” about African-Americans and Middle Eastern individuals at that residence and on a sidewalk in town.

And just Sunday morning, police reported the discovery of five swastikas drawn in the snow near a Fairfield Avenue residence in Mineola.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has noticed the “uptick in recent reports of discrimination, bias-motivated threats, harassment and violence,” and has launched a toll-free hotline to report such incidents.

“New York serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity for all, and we will continue to stand up to those who seek to spread the politics of division, fear and hate,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This state celebrates our differences because we know that it is the rich fabric of cultures and customs that makes this one of the greatest, most diverse places in the world. We will continue to work with our local partners to investigate all incidents of reported bias, and ensure that New Yorkers feel safe and protected. Any acts of discrimination or intimidation will be met with the full force of the law.”

Anyone wishing to report incidents of bias or discrimination are encouraged to call the statewide toll-free hotline at 888-392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Nassau County Police have also requested that anyone with information about any of the above incidents call the Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS, where calls remain anonymous.

More in the Wantagh-Seaford Herald on faith communities' efforts to combat hatred and bias in the area.