TACOMA, Wash. — A hate crime investigation is underway after racist stickers were discovered at an elementary school Sunday, according to the Tacoma Police Department.
Officer Wendy Haddow says stickers displaying hateful messages including “white lives matter” were placed on the playground and outside Crescent Heights Elementary School.
The Northshore Country Club experienced vandalism as well, according to police. Detectives say people in the neighborhood have reported up to 4 incidents of racist vandalism in the past.
One sticker displayed, ‘kill your local drug dealer’ with a cartoon of a black man crossed out. Another sticker read, “Ghettos don’t produce thugs, thugs produce ghettos.”
“The placement of these stickers in a public playground and at an elementary school? This directly is targeting black children in our community,” Haddow said.
Detectives say the person responsible may face a hate crime charge.
“People might see some of these stickers and say, how is that a hate crime? If you’re putting up stickers that make a group feel afraid, fearful, unwanted and targeted? That’s going to be investigated as a hate crime.”
Tacoma Public Schools responded saying, “it’s deeply disheartening that this appalling incident took place on our school property. We regret any pain these stickers may have caused to the people who unfortunately viewed them.”