Parkwood Family Park, Henry Cotton Drive, targeted by vile racist graffiti
Residents of a Gold Coast community are furious after bus stops, BBQs and playgrounds were sprayed with vile racist graffiti. WARNING – OFFENSIVE IMAGES
Crime and Court
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LOCALS have reacted with fury after BBQs, bus stops and playgrounds were covered in swastikas and racist slurs.
Facilities in Parkwood Family Park and property along Henry Cotton Drive was found to have been defaced over the Australia Day weekend.
The graffiti included lewd drawings and slurs targeting immigrants.
The attack, which used Nazi symbols, came on the same weekend as the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Gold Coast City Council has confirmed they will remove the graffiti immediately as a priority.
Member for Bonney, Sam O’Connor MP, said he was disgusted by the attack.
“It’s all over the Parkwood Family Park, bus stops, bins and people’s fences and walls,” Mr O’Connor said.
“It wasn’t just at the park but right along the drive, an area right near the university and the hospital.
“It is really sad to see something like this, especially over the Australia Day weekend.
“It’s such a shame to have this sort of hate creep in to our beautiful part of the Gold Coast.
“We are a proud, diverse, welcoming, family-friendly community.”
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Mr O’Connor said he was wary of drawing attention to the hateful act, but believed the perpetrators needed to be found.
“I am lucky enough to be in a position where I represent my community and I think it falls on me to call that out,” he said.
“I don’t want to give these acts prominence but we need to show this is not what we want in our community and find the people responsible.”
Mr O’Connor said police and council had been notified.
“The crime is part of part of a broader issue we are having in Arundel and Parkwood where crime is on the rise,” he said.
A spokesman for the Gold Coast City Council said there is a zero tolerance approach to graffiti and the city continues to see a reduction in graffiti.
“This is due to a range of programs aimed at preventing graffiti – such as rapid removal, design of our public spaces to reduce opportunities for vandalism, working with retailers of paint products and working with police and other government agencies on education and crime prevention,” the spokesman said.
Anyone with information that might assist police with their inquiries is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
City Graffiti hotline: 5667 5974 or email graffiti@goldcoast.qld.gov.au