Neo-Nazi graffiti targets Preston's Jewish community during New Year celebrations

The offensive graffiti appeared in an alleyway between College Close and Alsop Street in Plungington on Saturday (September 19).

Plungington Coun Pav Akhtar, who reported the vandalism to the city council, said he has been contacted by a number of worried Jewish residents who said they were "sickened" to see swastikas and neo-Nazi symbols in their neighbourhood.

He said: "I was horrified to see such hateful imagery re-emerge here in Plungington.

"I’m grateful to the Preston Council team who have promised to remove this disgusting graffiti which symbolises hate as an urgent priority.

"Preston Council workers are at the forefront of supporting vulnerable residents and keeping essential services going in the face of second spike in the global health pandemic.

"The antisemitic graffiti comes as the Jewish community is celebrating Rosh Hashanah, it’s New Year, and has been daubed on a wall that is just yards away from a local mosque and nursery that is used by a many children from the Muslim community.

"If anyone knows who is responsible please do the right thing and report them."

It appears vandals had deliberately sought to target Preston's Jewish community to coincide with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, with celebrations beginning on Friday and concluding on Sunday.

City Coun Robert Boswell, cabinet member for environment and community safety, said: "I am pleased to say our team has reacted quickly to the report of racist graffiti in the Plungington area this weekend, and it has now been removed.

"Racism and messages of hate have no place in Preston and I am grateful to those who reported this abhorrent graffiti as our city has a proud tradition of standing against all forms of prejudice.

"I’d urge anyone who sees something similar to report it to us so that it can be taken care of."

Insp Chris Barton, of Preston Police said: "This does appear to be connected to a separate spate of crimes that occurred between Plungington and the city centre at the end of May.

"Unfortunately, our enquiries, which included media appeals, did not assist in identifying those responsible.

"Our investigation has just begun but clearly any help from the public would be greatly appreciated as we are very keen to prosecute those responsible."

It is not the first time that Nazi-inspired racist graffiti has been found daubed on walls around the city.

In April 2019, police launched a hate crime investigation following three separate reports of racist graffiti found on a gate post outside Masjid E Salaam Mosque in Watling Street Road.

A Preston man, Gavin Edghill, then aged 47, appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court where he admitted five offences of racially aggravated criminal damage, one offence of racially aggravated public order and a further five offences of criminal damage.

In May this year, graffiti depicting Nazi symbolism and racist slurs were found on Eldon Street bridge, as well as Winckley Square, Orchard Street, and Stocks Road.

And in June, police released CCTV footage as part of a public appeal to help identify vandals who had spray painted racist graffiti onto a building near Preston Bus Station.

Detectives branded the incident a "hate crime", adding they had received "several" reports of racially aggravated criminal damage in Preston city centre, Ashton and Plungington.