ATLANTA — A community is working together to clean up graffiti used on a historic Atlanta church on Sunday.
Atlanta police told Channel 2 Action News officers received reports of vandalism at the Providence Missionary Baptist of Atlanta on Benjamin E. Mays Drive.
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When officers arrived, they found hateful words spray painted all over the building.
A Channel 2 Action News photographer said he saw images of a swastika spraypainted on the main door in addition to racial slurs and other offensive language around the property.
After reviewing surveillance footage, police identified 60-year-old James McIntyre as responsible for the vandalism.
The investigation revealed that McIntyre was found sitting across the church and was arrested.
This was not the first time McIntyre was at the church. Police said he was removed from the property the previous Sunday for trespassing.
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The church’s former pastor, Reverend Doctor Gerald Durley, told Channel 2 Action News that he hopes the parties responsible are prosecuted under hate crime-related laws.
“This is an atrocity to America. It’s sad when on a Sunday morning when people come to worship that these kinds of abusive markings are placed all over the building.” Durley said. “Any words are offensive when they attach someone’s race, gender or faith.”
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McIntyre was charged with vandalism to a place of worship and was taken to the Fulton County Jail.
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