Two Nazi symbols were sprayed outside Drayton Park station on Sunday – and it took until today for them to be removed.
A man who lives near to the station said he reported the graffiti, an iron cross on one wall and a swastika on another, to police on Sunday. Islington Council received a report on Twitter at 9.30pm yesterday.
The graffiti, daubed directly across from Drayton Park Primary School, was finally removed this afternoon after the man complained to the council on Twitter this morning.
The man, who is Jewish and did not want to be named, told the Gazette: “I didn’t think it would take three days to take it down. It’s not your standard graffiti.
“I reported it to the police as soon as I saw it on Sunday. I saw the iron cross symbol first and thought: ‘OK...’ Then I saw the swastika, though technically it’s not a swastika as it’s the wrong way round.
“I take no notice of it personally, there are so many bigger fish to fry in this world. But this is a hate crime and Nazi symbols shouldn’t be in the streets, across the road from a primary school, for three days.”
Mark Gardner, from the Community Security Trust, a charity which works to ensure the safety and security of Jewish people in the UK, added: “This kind of sick graffiti has obviously been deeply offensive to the many people who have seen it so close to the station.
“It’s important such filth is removed as quickly as possible.”
Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, who spoke at Islington’s Holocaust memorial at the Assembly Hall on Monday, said this afternoon: “We condemn all forms of hate crime, and are appalled at this extremely offensive and hateful graffiti.
“A team was sent to remove this graffiti as soon as it was reported to them, and we thank the Twitter user who brought this to our attention. We urge residents who see graffiti of this kind to report it to police as a hate crime. If residents also report hateful graffiti to the council we will remove it as soon as possible.”
The Gazette has also contacted Islington Police for comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here