WHITE PLAINS — Westchester County Police have charged two men with spray-painting racist and anti-Semitic graffiti that was found spray-painted on Monday on County-owned property on the Bronxville-Yonkers border.
The graffiti, including a swastika and racist language targeting African-Americans and Mexican-Americans, was found on the back of a dugout at Scout Field and along a pathway north of the ballfield. It has since been covered over by County public works personnel.
The vandalism was reported to Westchester County Police about 10 a.m. when a woman approached an officer who had arrived to conduct an inspection of the area, which is off Midland Avenue. The Bronxville Police Department and Westchester County parks personnel also responded and assisted in documenting the scene.
“Hateful acts of this kind have no place in Westchester County, ever,” County Executive George Latimer said. “But this is particularly a time when we all need to stand together as we face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Arrested were Nodar Kikvisize, 22, of Bronxville and Thomas Hasselt, 23, of Yonkers. Both were charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime and aggravated harassment, both as felonies, and making graffiti, a misdemeanor.
“We share a responsibility to come together and support each other especially in this time of a public health crisis and speak out against racism, anti-Semitism and all acts of hatred in our community,” said Tejash Sanchala, executive director of the county human rights commission.
People are urged to contact the Westchester County Human Rights Commission at (914) 995-7710 or by email at humanrights@westchestergov.com if they are aware of any instances of hate or bias in the county.
