A 20-foot by 20-foot swastika was dug into the grass at a park in Levittown and Nassau County police are investigating the discovery as a bias crime, authorities said.
A woman walking her dog found the massive symbol of Nazi Germany at the Nick Sguina ball field on Polaris Drive just south of Jerusalem Avenue at 4 p.m. Friday, police said.
The incident is the latest in a string of hate crimes recently reported on Long Island. A Nassau Community College student was arrested this week for repeatedly making swastika graffiti at the East Garden City campus. Swastika graffiti was also found over the past month in Islip, Hauppauge and Mineola, where someone also spray painted racial slurs accompanied by the phrase “Make America White Again,” a play on President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign slogan.
Under New York State law, swastika graffiti is considered aggravated first-degree harassment punishable by up to four years in prison and $5,000 in fines, plus restitution.
Second Squad detectives ask anyone with information on this crime to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.
