Bias graffiti scrawled on wall at abandoned church in Central Islip

Suffolk County hate crimes detectives are investigating bias graffiti found Wednesday on an abandoned Central Islip church.

The graffiti targeting immigrants was scrawled on a concrete block wall outside the chapel at Gullhaven Drive near Carleton Avenue, police said. No arrests have been made.

State Sen. Monica R. Martinez (D-Brentwood) said a resident sent her a picture of the graffiti and she contacted Suffolk County Third Precinct detectives. Blue paint now covers the graffiti. 

“The hateful vandalism found in Central Islip defies what this community represents and the values we share. While the intolerance fueling this threatening message has unfortunately become an epidemic in many corners of the world, we in Suffolk County will not give it a home,” Martinez said in a statement.

Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter issued a statement saying: “We denounce hate crimes and any act of hate across our Town. We are one town, and proudly celebrate our multi-cultural diversity, which enriches our Town every day." 

Islip Town Councilman Jorge Guadrón denounced the graffiti and said the Town of Islip had passed rules to prohibit any derogatory language at town board meetings.

“It is very unfortunate this type of rhetoric is being used in this part of the town where the majority of residents are of Hispanic descent,” said Guadrón, who was born in El Salvador and became a U.S. citizen in 1995.

“Suffolk County residents know all too well how hateful rhetoric leads to hate violence, with anti-immigrant leaders fueling bigotry and deadly attacks,” said Adin Argueta, youth member of Make the Road Action, in a statement on behalf of the organization's members. “Every leader should be very clear: every person, no matter the country they come from, or what they look like, or the language that they speak, is welcome on Long Island and our state.”

Police ask anyone with information to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.