COLUMBUS, Ind. — Various areas in downtown Columbus, including a church and the Cummins Inc. Corporate Office Building, were defaced with a stenciled logo and web address promoting a Texas-based white supremacy group called Patriot Front.
The Columbus Police Department is investigating the incident, said spokesman Lt. Matt Harris. He said he hoped to have details by Monday after gathering information from several officers.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) both classify Patriot Front as a hate group.
The church, First Presbyterian at 512 Seventh St., and Cummins both have long been outspoken about racial equality issues, including in the past week.
First Presbyterian had multiple windows and banners defaced while at least eight different spots were marked on the Cummins world headquarters.
Graffiti was also found in the Friendship Alley between Fourth and Fifth streets downtown and on the parking garage located on Jackson Street. Downtown business owners said they noticed the graffiti as early as 8 a.m., and that some of the images had already been covered up by 2 p.m.
Confederate flags were also planted along 11th and Washington streets on Saturday in Columbus.
For more details, see Sunday’s Republic.
