Racist graffiti has been daubed across a York park.
A councillor has called the vandalism “depressing and upsetting” before mounting clean-up operation at Chesney Fields park in Foxwood.
Someone had daubed messages including ‘Imgrants go home [sic]’, a swastika and the N-word on benches and a path.
Chesney Fields
Westfield Cllr Emily Nelson visited to inspect the daubings following a report from a resident yesterday morning (Saturday).
She returned to to the park with sugar soap and other cleaning materials to tackle the offensive messages.
It’s the latest racist crime in York in recent days. Chinese takeaway Dragon House on Foxwood Lane was daubed with racist graffiti on 29 August, a man was subjected to a racist attack at the university on 4 September, and the York Press reported a house on Foxwood Lane was daubed with racist graffiti on 12 September.
Cllr Nelson said: “It was depressing and upsetting to see yet another case of racist graffiti in our community.
“There is absolutely no place for racism or intimidation in Foxwood, a place I am proud to call my home.
“We have residents of different nationalities, ethnicities and religions and they should be left to live their lives in peace, not targeted in this dreadful way.
“It is unacceptable for any resident to feel unsafe or unwelcome, and from the number of residents who have approached me about the spike in racist incidents recently, I can confidently say racism is unwelcome in our community, and that these incidents are the work of a small minority.”
The Labour councillor said she had made good progress and the remainder of the work would be completed early next week, having reported it to the council. She has also reported the incident to the police.