Authorities are investigating after multiple buildings in the downtown area were spray painted with hate symbols overnight.
Portsmouth Police say around 2:30 a.m., an unknown suspect graffitied 10 different businesses and places of worship with red spray paint. The graffiti appeared to intentionally target holy places and political messages with hate symbols and swastikas, according to officials.
The suspect can be seen in surveillance photos wearing a red sweatshirt with the word “Maine” written on the front of it.
The crimes occurred in the downtown area between Deer Street, Middle Street, and Court Street, along with a few instances on Marcy Street.
“Silence in the face of these crimes means siding with the perpetrator, and these crimes do not represent the beliefs of our city,” Portsmouth Mayor Deaglan McEachern said in a statement. “I speak out in the strongest possible terms against these hateful & disgusting acts. Our community takes pride in declaring ourselves a Racial Justice Municipality but recently we have been a target for those that would seek to destroy the ideals we strive to live up to. I want to state clearly that this has only strengthened our resolve to be the city of the Open door.”
Anyone with information or video surveillance cameras in those areas are asked to contact Detective Sergeant McCarthy at 603-616-7656.
“The Portsmouth Police Department takes hate motivated crimes very seriously and is actively engaged in the investigation of this incident,” officials wrote in a statement.