Swastikas (file)
Swastikas (file)Flash 90

Police in Geneva, New York are investigating the weekend defacement of an elementary school with swastikas, racial slurs, obscene images and the slogan “Bring the Nazis back,” reported WROC-TV.

The vandalism was discovered on Sunday and was mainly on the school’s playground and included swastikas and slurs carved into school property. A window and a flood light were also damaged, said police

The graffiti on the playground was removed before school began on Monday.

Police canvassed the surrounding area and are currently reviewing security footage given to them by the school district.

The footage has been “extremely helpful” and several suspects have been identified, Geneva Police Chief Michael Passalacqua told WROC-TV.

The suspects were described as juveniles.

“I think it’s more important to get to… the reason behind this and really what the motive is because honestly in a criminal matter, if you’re going to charge something as a hate crime, motive and underlying cause certainly does matter as to the background or why they’re doing something like this,” he said.

In April, a similar antisemitic incident occurred in West Haverstraw, New York when it was discovered that a playground at the shuttered North Garnerville Elementary School had been defaced with swastikas.