Swastika daubed on tree in Borehamwood is removed

A swastika daubed on a tree in Borehamwood has reportedly been removed, as police say they will “follow up on those who are responsible”.

Local residents were left shocked after the offensive symbol was spotted on Furzehill Road on Tuesday evening.

A statement from Hertfordshire Constabulary said that after being made aware, “officers are now working with the local authority to ensure that the graffiti is cleaned up and written down as a crime.”

Insp. Mark Bilsdon from the Borehamwood Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “We take incidents like this very seriously, and due to the offensive nature of this graffiti”.

“This kind of behaviour has no place anywhere, and we hope to follow up on those who are responsible.”

Local councillor Farida Turner told Jewish News: “The disgusting and abhorrent graffiti was removed by the Council at approximately 10am. Their speed and efficiency must be lauded”.

“We must be vigilant and protect our residents from all forms of race hate – we cannot stand by and see a repeat of what happened in Nazi Germany and elsewhere!”

The CST told Jewish News it “had numerous reports of this swastika, as it is in a very public place and is obviously very upsetting to see.”

The location of the swastika is just a few minutes from a local Jewish school, Yavneh College, and the road is used by its pupils on a daily basis. In December 2015 Borehamwood was announced as having overtaken Stanmore, with the biggest Jewish community in the country.

Jonathan Evans, a local resident, told Jewish News: “It is extremely distressing to see it in a place I call home and in a prime location which Jewish schoolchildren would have had to walk passed simply to get home from school”.