Vandals Write 'KKK,' N-Word on Portsmouth Baseball Field
A well-known Portsmouth playground was vandalized this past week, police say.
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The Turnpike Avenue playground was constructed in 1988 by residents and friends of Portsmouth for their families and children.
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Police are investigating signs of vandalism found last Tuesday, March 12, at the Turnpike Avenue playground.
According to The Sakonnet Times, the words “blood” and “Zoro" were found at the popular playground. Someone had also written “KKK” and a racially offensive word in the dirt of the baseball field.
Police say the racially offensive word was the "N-word."
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Portsmouth police at (401) 683-0300 or detectives at (401) 683-0994.
Frances Smith
8:12 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
I agree those things are offensive. Equally offensive is the graffiti on the changing room at Sandy Point Beach, which has been left untouched (though reported) for over a month. I really do not want my children or anyone else's for that matter learning about male genitalia from the side of a public restroom. Please get some paint on this building ASAP. And yes, I understand it has been cold but if vandals can use spray paint surely the city can get some Kils in a spray can and cover it. Thank you! JAG Mom of four.
Portent
10:43 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Frances says: "I agree those things [racist graffiti] are offensive. Equally offensive is the graffiti on the changing room at Sandy Point Beach." Really, you would equate blatant and vile expressions of racial hatred with juvenile renderings of genitalia? Where is your moral compass? These two incidents are not even closely commensurate. One targets pure hatred on a single race and revives memories of one of the most shameful historical episodes in this country's history. The other signifies childish coming-of-age projections regarding sex, most likely caused in part by parental failure at sex education.
What I find offensive and despicable are the rampant uses of the N-word and other derogatory and hateful racial comments and behavior in this area -- in bars, restaurants, and other public venues -- and the willful ignorance and cowardly tolerance, if not encouragement of such, by others within earshot, whether they be bystanders, establishment owners and employees, or others. This is a sickening phenomenon -- and an apparently growing one fueled by a potentially explosive mix of Obama hatred and gun craziness -- that requires collective treatment by a self-respecting community that acts on its professed patriotic duty and beliefs, instead of cowering in hypocrisy.
amy
8:56 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Terrible to do that only in usa, in europe no one would even think of spraying graffiti on leaning tower of pisa or stonehenge.
TAMORI
11:19 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Not so, Amy. In big European cities like Naples, Madrid, and Paris I’ve personally witnessed graffiti on statues and buildings that are hundreds of years old. Of course there are places that are better protected from graffiti vandals, like the tower in Pisa or Stonehenge. But there are “taggers” and graffiti “artists” everywhere and given the opportunity they would spoil those treasures too.
Norm
4:10 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Well amy you have apparently NEVER been outside the USA.
Caitlin Marshall
9:19 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
N world? I'm going to assume thats a huge typo.
Sandy McGee
9:25 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Thank-you Caitlin for alerting us to the typo. This was corrected.
Portent
12:02 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Is it really that shocking to find racism, which should be repugnant in any civilized society, displayed in graphic verbal messaging, any more than within the Portsmouth Police Department itself? Considering that America's greatest slave trading dynasty, the DeWolf family, plied its evil ways just a short hop from Portsmouth in Bristol, it should not be shocking that traces of that trade still linger in the form of racism -- some manifested explicitly but much more of it conveyed subtlely -- in our presence. This reality is both execrable and under-appreciated, especially by many self-described liberals and religious believers.
aqisland
9:07 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
My 11 yr old noticed some graffiti in Portsmouth recently (Anthony Rd/rt 24 underpass that is ALWAYS plagued by Graffiti) - he said "why do people do that? Do they want to live in a dumpy area?" ... exactly! Take pride in your area. Parents- teach your children to take pride in themselves and their community! I hope they find the person(s) responsible for this and there are serious consequences !