(Photo by Charlie Calanni)
(LAKEWOOD) - Police are treating it as a crime, and the homeowner is horrified, but some witnesses say they're not sure what the intent was of a vandal who spray painted either a Sauvastika or a Swastika on a homeowner's driveway on Bell Street Wednesday. The marks, pictured above, may be an attempt to paint a Swastika, but because the arms of the cross point counter-clockwise, they actually painted a primarily Hindu and Buddhist symbol that is often associated with good fortune. In the case of Hinduism, the symbol primarily represents the the primary actions of God. Srishti (creation), Stithi (sustenance), Samhara (destruction), Tirodhana (concealing [the true nature of God]), and Anugraha (blessing [of God]).
However, Lakewood mayor Michael Summers told WTAM's Ken Robinson "this is an act of hate." "It's appalling, it's disappointing at a minimum."
The woman who lives at the home also took it as a hateful message and told our news partner Channel 3 she's never seen anything like this in her 27 years at the home. Police are looking for the vandal, whom Summers said was probably an amateur.
However, neighborhood kids quickly turned the message of hate into a message of love, using chalk to draw pictures of their own in the spots once occupied by symbols of hate.
(Photos by Ken Robinson / WTAM)
Rep. Nickie Antonio, who lives in the neighborhood, said she rounded up the children to help once city crews removed the graffiti.