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East Greenwich council condemns racist chalk graffiti at high school courts; police investigating
Summary
Town leaders said racist chalk graffiti found Oct. 25 at the high school tennis courts has been removed, the police are investigating and the town and school are coordinating a response; council added the item to tonight’s agenda for discussion and voiced support for affected students and families.
Mark Schwager said the Town Council added a discussion tonight after school staff discovered racist chalk graffiti on the high school tennis courts on Oct. 25. "There is no place for racism, hate, or intolerance in our schools, our town, or anywhere else," Schwager said.
Town Manager Andrew Nada told the council school administrators and parks staff coordinated an immediate cleanup and that the police have been notified and "are actively investigating the matter." Nada said the markings were in chalk, located off the court surface, and that parks staff "scrubbed clear" any remnants. He said the school administration had engaged families and staff to coordinate a response.
During council remarks, one member said the n-word used in the graffiti is "a weaponized reminder of deep seated biases and prejudice," and another council member warned that the incident could involve vandalism and that Rhode Island’s special hate-crime law could apply. The council emphasized it will follow updates from the police and the school and provide additional information to the community if investigators find relevant new facts.
No formal enforcement action or suspect identification was announced at the meeting. The town manager said officials will "follow-up with the council and the community should we come across any additional information."
