Vandals recently painted antisemitic graffiti, including swastikas, in two locations in Palm Desert. Sheriff’s deputies are working to find suspects.
The first incident — several swastikas drawn on a store window in the El Paseo shopping area — was reported to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30. The department did not name the store that was vandalized, but in a press release described it as being in the 73000 block of El Paseo, which is east of Highway 74.
Deputies arrived and obtained surveillance video that showed a man drawing the swastikas on the window with a marker.
On Sunday, May 4, the department received a report that an electrical box had been spray-painted with swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti, the content of which wasn’t detailed further. Deputies were dispatched to that call in the 45000 block of Deep Canyon Road at around 7:40 a.m. and found antisemitic graffiti in several locations in the area, the sheriff’s department said.
Deputies obtained footage of two unidentified men considered suspects in the vandalism.
The department released images captured from video that show the suspects in the incidents, although the images from the May 4 incident don’t clearly show the people’s faces. Sheriff’s officials did not say whether they believe the two incidents are related.
The two areas where graffiti was found are about a mile and a half from each other.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti found in Palm Desert. Sheriff seeks suspects
Reporting by Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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