A York community is rallying round the victims of shocking racist abuse today (Thursday).
Overnight, the Costcutter on Bramham Road in Chapelfields was daubed with racist graffiti.
Four words were written on the walls with white paint and arrows pointing to the door.
Chapelfields residents were horrified by what they saw.
Leah Rollinson told YorkMix: “Nobody deserves to be targeted like this and I know everybody is disgusted by it. They are honestly so lovely in that shop.
“Chappy gets a bad name but honestly the community is lovely and we have some lovely residents but it’s let down by people who do things like this.”
Residents were horrified to see what had happened, and quickly pledged their support for the business owners.
A Chapelfields resident told YorkMix: “The people of Chapelfields are disgusted and horrified at this senseless attack.
“The gentlemen that run that shop are our friends and an important part of our community. This is a hate crime committed against some of the nicest people in our estate.”
After Leah shared the picture on a Chapelfields Facebook group, one resident said: “The local community should form a cleaning crew to show them that is not the views of the majority.
“How upsetting that must be – not only that your business is damaged but that you have been personally targeted.”
Another resident said: “That’s absolutely awful, all the staff in there are amazing and don’t deserve to see this.”
“This is absolutely vile,” one resident wrote. “The people who run that shop are some of the kindest I’ve met! How shameful.”
Council teams have been cleaning the graffiti this morning.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Police are investigating offensive and racist graffiti that has painted onto a Costcutter shop on Bramham Road in York.
“It was reported on the morning of 28 March and is believed to have happened overnight.”
Anyone who has any information about the incident is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident number 0059 of 28 March.
If you wish to remain anonymous and not speak to the police, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.