Racist graffiti, swastikas in Columbus

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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A Columbus, Ohio, neighborhood was struck by vandals who spray-painted swastikas and racist messages on homes and cars, officials said.

"To know someone is vandalizing homes around us like this is unsettling," said Patrick Flynn, who found a swastika and the message "Kill all [N-word]" spray-painted on his garage Sunday morning.

Nearly a dozen swastikas were spray-painted on homes and cars throughout the Clintonville neighborhood early Sunday, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported.

Rob Wood, a member of the Clintonville Area Commission, said he plans to get swastikas found spray-painted on an overpass removed as soon as possible, but catching the vandals will be a tough job.

"The thing we've found is that it's very difficult to catch the people doing the graffiti," he said. Of yesterday's wave of graffiti, he said: "I absolutely believe it's vandalism and charges should be pressed if the people could be found."

"We embrace diversity of all kinds," he said. But graffiti, especially anything that's insensitive, "is unacceptable and completely counter to the culture in the neighborhood."