Palo Alto

Palo Alto Police Investigate Racist Graffiti in Park Restroom as Hate Crime

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Palo Alto police are investigating a report of racist graffiti inside a public restroom at a city park near Stanford University and treating at as a hate crime, according to the police department.

The initial report came at about 7:40 p.m. Friday, when the department received a call reporting the graffiti inside a restroom at El Camino Park at 155 El Camino Real, police said.

Officers responded and found writings in black marker in several areas of the bathroom, including on the stalls and walls. The graffiti included racial epithets directed at white people, police said.

The markings have since been removed, but police believe they had been there since Thursday or Friday.

No suspects have been identified, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident should call the Palo Alto Police Deparment's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

The city of Palo Alto said community members can report similar incidents by calling the dispatch center or 911 if it is an emergency.

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