March 28, 2017 Staff Report
An Astoria office building that houses two local politicians was vandalized with homophobic graffiti over the weekend for a third time this month.
The building, located at 31-19 Newtown Avenue, was spray-painted with the words “Obama Fa—ot.” State Senator Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Aravella Simotas both have offices in the building.
“It is clear this bigot is trying send a message of intolerance to our community, but it will not work,” Gianaris said in a statement. “I am confident the NYPD will apprehend the person committing these disturbing acts and I am thankful for their continued efforts. It will take more than a bigot with a magic marker to stop me from fighting for the values of tolerance and inclusiveness.”
This latest round of vandalism has come after the police released video footage of the suspect on Saturday, who is believed to be a white or light-skinned Hispanic man between 30 and 40 years old and is left handed.
The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the series of incidents.
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7 Comments
This was written in front of my garage as well on 23rd st
Why not? There’s been people that are still doing graff projects all around. Go tell that to the kids who put up their taggings and “artwork” in 21st and Ditmars- across the Q69 stop. Go tell them to find a job.
The more things change, the more things stay the same…
I don’t know why this guy just don’t get a job like the rest of us. If he had a real job, he wouldn’t have time to graffiti.
Why now maaaaaan. ???? Its too late to say this stuff man, he was here 8 years and nobody said nothin maaan
I don’t care what your political views are but it just takes one cowardly idiot to scrawl graffiti and try to bring down the neighborhood.
Hope they catch this idiot and make him clean graffiti for a couple of months.
They should arrest this criminal and have him corrected. Mentally disturbed individuals are ruining this society.
How dare anyone call into question Obama’s heterosexuality.