Graffiti vandals have struck town once again, this time at the Buddhist temple on South Second Street. Two white marble statues at the front of the temple were spray-painted with black paint with what appears to be the word "IDOL" on each. The face of the Buddha was painted black. The Chua Phap Hoa Temple imported and installed the statues a few years ago.
In a possibly related incident, a train car on the tracks near the intersection of Florence, Barber, and Mill Streets was spray-painted with religious messages, black being the color of choice. The train car is shown in the last photo in this series.
14 comments:
A hate crime! You need to find out who is doing this! Doesn't the mansion have cameras?
This has crossed a line. I do not want to be affiliated with any religion and I don't care what religion anyone chooses to affiliate with, but this is just wrong.
And the "powers that be" want to blame negative comments on social media as the reason no one wants to come to Columbia. How about those that have come here only to have problems like this. Perhaps THIS is discouraging to those contemplating a move here for business or residence.
This is the " black eye" on Columbia, more so than the Bigler properties.
It's past time to catch these thugs and punish to the fullest extent.
What a shame on this town. Peaceful people here and this is the welcome they get.
If these thugs are caught, spray paint their faces, write the words," stupid fool" on them, give them toothbrushes, and let them scrub away. Let everyone know what time so the public can watch them. After that, send them to prison.
That took some time to accomplish.
Guaranteed someone seen SOMETHING!
There was also a storm drain cause i seen it while walking around town yesterday ... I hope whoever did it has to fix the statue n should also apologize to them... very ignorant
And two cars were vandalized & had their tires slashed. I drive a BMW and my neighbors car and mine were slashed as well as everything else. I'm not sure how a town this small with all these cameras everywhere hasn't caught anytging in tape.
It amazes me that the cameras that are around hardly ever catches anyone. If the cameras are decoys, they aren't scaring anyone.
Call Lancaster City, theirs seem to the job. If tho they have crime on the streets, quite a few are solved by the cameras.
it's time to get ALL the Vigilantes out and about, walking the streets, looking for these punks who keep destroying property. ....bring in the Vigilantes. WTH. The Borough has ALL these cameras and they aren't worth the piece of paper the astronomical bill was written on. Thanks again Norm. This is 100% Unacceptanle. Police Chief & MAyor you need to start having meetings on a regular basis and encourage block watches again. You need to reach out to the community and ask for help. You need to encourage more patrols. You need to have more than 2 officers on a shift. stop making excuses. INstead there's silence. let's see if we can get a response from the illustrious Mayor or Chief. You hide everything. Be open with your taxpaying homeowners. Encourage thenm to call when they hear or see someting that's not right. Educate.
This might be a hate crime. Here is the definition from the FBI's website:
“A hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias. For the purposes of collecting statistics, the FBI has defined a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” Hate itself is not a crime—and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties.”
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/hate-crimes
Those statues had to cost thousands of dollars. Regardless whether you believe in what they stand for or not, they are personal property and should not be touched.
?? have the police gone door to door in the area both side of the street and up the street to see if anyone saw or heard anything? this is serious. it's past time that the Boro Police Chief & Mayor realizes that this should be on the priority list of solving. These ignorant punks MUST be found, prosecuted and pay for ALL the damage they do in the Borough. I agree...get the Vigilante groups out walking the beats!
If only it was that simple. Who will back up the vigilant?
That church was one of the best things for the block of South Second Street. They need to question the residents, it may turn something up.
extremely disapointed in the lack of leadership and caring for the taxpaying homeowners in this Borough by the Mayor and Chief. They try to keep everything secret. You need to hold town mtgs and encourage citizens to care, to get involved again., to start neighborhgood watches. to inform citizens to call in with something suspicous activity without having to worry that their name will be known......come on. it cost the Borough HOW MANY MILLIONS OF $$$$$$$$$ to SUPPORT THE POLICE FORCE.....both the Mayor and Chief need to start acting like they actually care. If you are going to have a Police Dept the FIRST thing you MUST do is make sure it is SAFELY MANNED......MINIMUM OF 3 OFFICERS PER SHIFT...it's too unsafe with only 2. Columbia leads all of Lancaster COunty in domestic calls....WHY YOU ASK?????? Because of the more than 800 YES 800 HUNDRED RENTAL PROPERTIES. remove half of them.
good points! i agree. it's a sad day. i had high hopes for new leadership.....
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