A man has been charged with a hate crime for posting swastika stickers on a campaign sign in suburban Chicago, prosecutors announced on Monday.
Keith Klingeman, 49, of Naperville, Illinois, faces two hate crime counts and one criminal damage count, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said, for placing swastika stickers on the campaign signs of a country board candidate, the Associated Press reported.
Klingeman is accused of plastering homemade swastika stickers on two campaign signs between October 2 and 16 from board candidate Patricia Gustin, Berlin said.
"The allegations against Mr. Klingeman are simply despicable," Berlin said. "Hate crimes have no place in a civilized society. All of us deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and anyone who violates this principle based on race, religion or any other hateful prejudice will be held accountable."
The stickers were the latest swastika-related hate crime to occur in the Chicago area which has seen a series of crimes involving swastikas take place over the last year.