Graffiti in Theodore Roosevelt Park

The Second Squad is investigating a Bias Incident that occurred Oyster Bay.

According to detectives, Second Precinct police responded to the picnic pavilion at the Theodore Roosevelt Park located at 25 West End Avenue. Police then observed that an unknown person (s) did draw 7 swastikas approximately 10 inches in size on the pavilion structure using a purple marker. The incident occurred sometime between Wednesday, August 7th through Thursday, August 8th, at 8:40 AM.

Police say the offensive drawings were put there either Wednesday or Thursday.

State Assemblyman Charles Lavine said the hateful images don’t just offend him as a state lawmaker. He says he’s also personally offended.

“Anyone who does this in the cover of night in the cover of darkness, which is what they did, does not want to be seen,” says Lavine. “They don’t want anyone knowing who they were.”

Lavine says his grandmother came to America from Russia when Teddy Roosevelt was president. Lavine says the symbols are anti-American and he hopes that anyone who sees them or hears about them speaks out against them.

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said, “Hatred, bias, or intolerance of any kind have no place in our town.”

Saladino says public safety officers are checking security camera footage from the park.

Detectives request that anyone with information regarding the above crime to contact the Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1–800 – 244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.