Some of the graffiti included swastikas, graphic drawings of the human anatomy and phrases such as “Trump 2020 — bring back slavery,” “whites only,” “Cape Cod KKK has over 10,000 members” and “I’m watching you from my house across the pond.”
MASHPEE — About two dozen racist graffiti messages were removed from the Lowell Holly Reservation in Mashpee this week, marking the latest occurrence of such incidents on the Cape.
The Trustees of Reservations, which oversees the Lowell Holly Reservation, was notified of the acts of vandalism on Oct. 17, and staff cleaned up the graffiti on Monday, the land conservation group said in a statement.
Some of the graffiti included swastikas, graphic drawings of the human anatomy and phrases such as “Trump 2020 — bring back slavery,” “whites only,” “Cape Cod KKK has over 10,000 members” and “I’m watching you from my house across the pond.”
Aaron Gouveia, director of public relations for the trustees, said it took a couple of people eight to 10 hours to remove about two dozen incidences of graffiti on Monday. Some of the graffiti was scribbled in black marker on trail markers, benches and boardwalks.
The trustees also contacted the Mashpee Police Department to investigate the incident and are discussing some preventative measures to deter similar vandalism in the future, the trustees said in the statement.
“The Trustees fully condemns the hateful vandalism that appeared over the weekend,” the statement said. “As the nation’s first and state’s largest land conservation and preservation nonprofit, The Trustees’ mission is to make all of our 120 special places across the Commonwealth inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for everyone of all identities and backgrounds.”
Mashpee Police Chief Scott Carline said the department received a report of malicious destruction of property on Oct. 19 in which racist graffiti was displayed on trail signs and benches. The incident has been forwarded to the department’s detective bureau, which is investigating the incident.
Carline said they also are taking extra investigatory precautions to address any further damage in the area.
If anyone has any information regarding the incident, Carline urged them to contact the Mashpee detectives at 508-539-1480.
Carline said police are considering the vandalism an isolated incident, noting that Mashpee police have not seen these types of complaints frequently.
On the Cape as a whole, however, instances of racist graffiti, vandalization or messages have popped up of late.
Over the summer, stickers promoting a white nationalist hate group have been found on the Cape, including in the parking lot of the Shining Sea Bike Path on Route 151 and in Mashpee Commons.
A noose was found in Yarmouth in June followed by flyers promoting white supremacy, and nothing has come of an investigation into the matter thus far. Racist flyers were also found in people’s mailboxes in Falmouth last summer.
In 2018, someone spray-painted the African Meeting House on Nantucket with racist graffiti. That case was turned over to the Barnstable County District Attorney’s office, Nantucket Police Chief Bill Pittman said.
Referring to the graffiti that said there are 10,000 members of the KKK on Cape Cod, Rev. Wesley Williams of the Nauset Interfaith Association and its MLK Action Team said that figure sounds like an exaggeration, similar to how the Proud Boys exaggerated in its touting that it knows where everybody lives.
While those extremist groups might have exaggerated, Williams said, that does not mean that racism doesn’t exist on the Cape.
Racism has always been on the Cape, Williams said. But he said he has noticed an uptick in racist incidents in recent years.
“I think this administration has given license to these groups to express themselves,” Williams said. “I think it’s always been there, but I think this administration gives reign and license to freer expression of it.”
Williams said a lot of people think that there is no racism on the Cape, but this most recent incident in Mashpee proves otherwise, he said, bringing a sharper focus to its presence in the region.
“I think this is a serious wake-up call,” he said.
Follow Jessica Hill on Twitter: @jess_hillyeah.
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