© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

An MLK Jr. Statue Was Vandalized With Graffiti, Prompting A Hate Crime Investigation

A statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., pictured here in 2014, was vandalized in Long Beach, Calif.
Jeff Gritchen
/
Digital First Media/Orange County Register (Calif.) via Getty Images
A statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., pictured here in 2014, was vandalized in Long Beach, Calif.

Police in Long Beach, Calif., have opened a hate crime investigation after discovering that a local statute of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had been vandalized with racist graffiti.

The Long Beach Police Department rushed to Martin Luther King Jr. Park at around 3 p.m. Friday after receiving reports of "hate/bias-motivated vandalism," police spokesperson Brandon Fahey told NPR.

They found that the front of the King statue had been vandalized with spray paint, which workers from the parks and recreation department were working to scrub clean. The graffiti has since been removed, and the department is investigating the matter as a hate crime.

Police would not confirm the nature of the graffiti, citing an ongoing investigation, but photos on social media show a black swastika spray-painted on the statue's center. Other Nazi-related symbols were painted on the statue's legs.

Police do not have a suspect in custody, the department told NPR, but said in a statement they are committed to bringing the culprit to justice.

"The Long Beach Police Department takes all reports of hate or bias-motivated incidents seriously, and we value the diversity of our Long Beach community and are actively investigating this incident to hold the individual responsible and accountable for their actions," police said.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia called the graffiti "horrific" in a social media post Monday.

"Over the holiday weekend our MLK statue at King Park was vandalized with horrific graffiti," Garcia's tweet said. "The LBPD are investigating this as a hate crime and we are working to catch whoever committed this awful act."

He continued, "Our MLK statue is a symbol of hope and justice for the community. This hate and desecration has no place in our city."

The park changed its name to honor King following his assassination in 1968. Community members met at the park on Saturday, one day after the vandalism was discovered, to hold a rally promoting peace, the Long Beach Post reported.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Sharon Pruitt-Young

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Related Content