As many town residents may have heard, our town’s recreation field has recently been a target of vandalism, most recently, at the skateboard park. On Saturday, Aug. 17 , a concrete block wall was defaced with graffiti and a swastika.

This has both shocked and sickened us. Shocked us as this is completely unexpected in our town, and sickened us because of its use as a symbol of antisemitism and hate. We strongly condemn such defacement, as well as vandalism in any form. There is no place in our community for this behavior.

Francestown has always prided itself on being a community that accepts and respects the diverse religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of all.

A police investigation is underway. Should anyone have any information please contact Chief Fred Douglas of the Francestown Police Department at 603-547-2043.

In the meantime, we have to remain vigilant. We do not know if the swastika was drawn in ignorance or if it was intentionally used to convey a racist ideology. Talking with each other and our children about what occurred and why it is unacceptable would be a great first step toward stopping such behaviors. As always, should you observe anything suspicious please report it to the police.

Scot Heath, Charlie Pyle and Karen Fitzgerald

Town of Francestown Select Board