The statement below is by Commissioners Jonathan Young and Al Dyer on behalf of the Camden County Board of Commissioners regarding the racist graffiti found in a residential neighborhood in the borough of Lawnside.
“This weekend, in the historically black community of Lawnside, a resident was the victim of a racist attack and a hate crime. It was discovered that graffiti was spraypainted onto a fence that included a racial slur and offensive imagery. This was a shocking and disgusting display of hatred that has absolutely no place in Camden County.
Lawnside is a beautiful town with a deep connection to the African American community, as it was the first independent, self-governing African American municipality north of the Mason–Dixon Line. And to see such a blatant attack on our Camden County community is frightening and appalling to say the least.
As we have said, this hatred is completely unacceptable, and police are investigating the incident because perpetrators of this type of crime cannot and will not go unpunished. And now more than ever, it is crucial for all of us to come together to stop racist hate in our communities. We need to stand together and denounce this deplorable behavior as it is only used to foment hate and divide us as neighbors.
If you are anyone you know has information on this crime, please call the Lawnside Police Department at (856) 573-6205.