Police Investigating Graffiti Vandalism in Park Restroom as Hate Crime

Published on September 23, 2021

Palo Alto, CA – Police are investigating a vandalism case at a park as a hate crime, as an unknown suspect used a marker to write derogatory language inside a bathroom.

On Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at about 6:35 a.m., the Police Department received word from City employees of the Public Works Department of a vandalism that their staff had discovered the night before inside the men’s restroom at El Camino Park at 155 El Camino Real.  Officers responded to investigate and discovered that derogatory language directed at white people had been written in black marker on several areas in the bathroom.  After officers documented what had occurred, a Public Works crew removed the writings.  Police believe the vandalism occurred at some point on Tuesday, September 21.

This is the third similar graffiti vandalism hate crime reported in the same restroom since May, with the prior cases being discovered on May 7 and July 7.  To view details on those cases, as well as a couple of other hate crime vandalisms reported in public spaces in 2021, visit /PAPDnews and search by keyword “hate.”  Police believe the three crimes at El Camino Park are linked and were committed by the same suspect, but there is no known connection with the other cases.  Police have yet to identify a suspect in any of the incidents.

In the wake of recent national events and increased attention on hate crimes, the personnel of the Palo Alto Police Department continue to show their commitment to thoroughly investigate any reported hate crimes in Palo Alto.  In late March, the Palo Alto City Council denounced violence directed at people of Asian descent, and that came on the heels of months of efforts with City Council’s ongoing conversations and work on race and equity.  You are welcome to read a blog post from the City entitled “Steps the Community Can Take to Help Stop Hate Crimes.”  The City of Palo Alto strongly denounces hate crimes of all kinds, and encourages members of our community to promptly report these incidents by calling our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413, or 9-1-1 if it is an emergency.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.  Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.