Yorktown Wants To Paint Unity Mural At Hate Graffiti Site

YORKTOWN, NY — The site of the recent hate speech and graffiti will be turned into a unity mural if the town of Yorktown gets permission from the state.

The Town Board has asked state officials for permission to paint a mural where the racist and antisemitic graffiti and hate speech were found Saturday under an overpass of the Taconic State Parkway near the Croton Reservoir.

At a meeting Tuesday, the board adopted a "Hate Has No Name" resolution making a mural request to the state and directing the Yorktown Arts & Culture Committee to organize the rules by which the town can accept proposals from artists, according to a news release.

Councilwoman Luciana Haughwout said it was important to feed the hate with love and acceptance and understanding and to try to educate whoever put up the hate words and images but also the community.

Supervisor Matt Slater said the graffiti and hate speech made him angry because it doesn't reflect most people in Yorktown and has called on all Yorktown residents of any political affiliation to reject hate speech.

"If you don't think for a second that there are consequences for the disgusting and vile hatred that people are poisoning this society with," he said, "you're wrong."