'Despicable conduct.' Trailer marked with swastikas removed near South Yarmouth road
An abandoned trailer marked with antisemitic graffiti on the side of the road in South Yarmouth was removed last week.
State Rep. Christopher Flanagan, D-Dennis, said his office received a phone call from a constituent on Tuesday about the wooden trailer along Long Pond Drive with images of swastikas drawn on the sides. Flanagan said he contacted several organizations and officials including the Yarmouth police chief, the town administrator, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Attorney General's Office.
Flanagan said the town "immediately followed up" and the trailer was removed Thursday.
Long Pond Drive runs through a largely residential neighborhood north of Route 28.
"Obviously, there is no place for hate on the Cape and certainly in Yarmouth. It's important for folks to know we take these things seriously," said Flanagan. "We want people to feel comfortable and safe."
Yarmouth Chief of Police Kevin Lennon was not immediately available for comment Sunday.
Increased reports of hate crime incidents in Massachusetts
According to a September report, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security received a total of 440 reports of hate crime incidents in 2022, the highest reported since 2002 and up from 406 in 2021 from 90 municipal police departments.
Of these reported hate incidents, 14.5% were related to antisemitic incidents.
In 2022, Chatham police investigated antisemitic flyers found on Stage Harbor Road and Bridge Street. According to an online statement from police, on July 5 the flyers with antisemitic messages about news media were found inside plastic bags weighed down by rocks. Police found about 20 flyers. None appeared to target a person living in Chatham, the police said.
In mid-November, a "penciled image of a swastika with racist, anti-gay and antisemitic language" was found in a Sandwich Middle High School bathroom and became the subject of an investigation, according to Sandwich Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Maruszczak and Acting School Principal Jeanne Nelson. School officials sent letters to parents and guardians about the incident, reported it to Sandwich police and pledged to use the incident as a teachable moment.
Hate symbols associated with white supremacy and antisemitism were found on buildings for two indigenous-based organizations in Mashpee in March, and the Bourne Historical Commission chair resigned in December after using an antisemitic slur two months prior in a public meeting.
'Vehemently disapproves'
In a statement, Mashpee-based Fraser Construction Company, Inc. said the company was notified about the trailer on Friday. It was near a rental property owned by Dean Fraser, the founder and prior owner of Fraser Construction Company.
"Unfortunately, we did not know about this abandoned trailer until after it had been there," the company wrote.
"To be very clear, Fraser Construction Company Inc. does not condone, but vehemently disapproves all hate related to speech and conduct," the statement read. "We also feel victimized by such despicable conduct. Our Company, and all those associated with it, past and present disavow having had anything to do with this trailer and hereby denounce such conduct."
In the statement, the company urged anyone with information to contact the Yarmouth police.
Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on X @zanerazz.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Company condemns swastika-marked trailer near South Yarmouth property
