28-05-2025
Racist slur spray painted on apartment building near Holland
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — People living in an apartment complex near Holland said they woke up to quite the surprise over the weekend.
Black spray paint, including a racist slur and an inappropriate image of genitalia, were still visible on the building and surrounding fence off in Holland Township on Wednesday afternoon.
Daniel Garcia Simo, who lives in the building, told News 8 that it happened sometime between Saturday and Sunday.
At first, Garcia Simo said he only saw the thick black lines sprayed on the garages. His wife called the police and when they came to take a report, they showed him the derogatory word written on the side of the building.
When asked if he was afraid of the meaning behind the offensive word, Garcia Simo, who only spoke Spanish, said he was not afraid, but that he didn't like it. He added that graffiti is one thing, but when it's on people's homes, it's inconvenient and makes people angry.
Another woman who lives in the building but did not want to be named said there are four units and that no African Americans live in the complex. She added that she's lived there for six years and that nothing like this has ever happened.
A representative with Waveland Property Management told News 8 over the phone that the police have been notified, but that they don't have a timeline for how quickly the graffiti will be cleaned up.
The employee estimated that they've been managing this property for over 10 years and that they're also not aware of anything like this happening before.
A spokesperson for the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office noted the incident could be investigated as a hate crime, alongside malicious destruction of property.
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