Sacramento County golf course vandalized with swastika, antisemitic slur carved into ground
Maintenance crews on Friday were finishing repairs on a Cherry Island Golf Course putting green where earlier this week a large Nazi swastika and an antisemitic slur were carved into the ground.
The carving of the swastika, a hateful antisemitic image, appeared in photos to be about several feet wide and a few feet in depth. The antisemitic slur, which was smaller in size, was carved next to the swastika on the sixth hole putting green.
Crews at the golf course in Elverta, which is operated by Sacramento County, were finishing repairs Friday to remove the hateful vandalism. They had already removed the portion of the putting green vandalized and were laying down sod, said county spokesman Ken Casparis.
He called the vandalism a “despicable” and “heartbreaking” act of hate at a golf course enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds.
“Sacramento County condemns hate speech in the strongest terms,” Casparis said in an email to The Sacramento Bee. “Antisemitism, racism, hate and hate speech have no place in Sacramento County.”
He said this “incident of discrimination” has been turned over to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and is under investigation.
The maintenance crews found the vandalism Thursday morning, along with large divots nearby. Casparis said the vandalism must have been done at some point between closing time Wednesday and opening time Thursday at the golf course on Elverta Road.
This is the third time in the past few weeks that authorities in the Sacramento area have reported antisemitic images and messages found on public property.
Earlier this month, community leaders gathered to speak out against hate after images of a swastika were found on a classroom wall at Sacramento State University and along J Street near the entrance to campus. Less than a week before that, the UC Davis Police Department launched an investigation after antisemitic statements were displayed on banners on a campus overpass.
