Northeast Detective Division is continuing to investigate vandalism that occurred last month at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 3101 Tyson Ave.
The Rev. Daniel Eisenberg, the pastor, said church cameras show the incident took place sometime before 11 p.m. on May 9, a Thursday.
Eisenberg said an individual ripped down the church’s “Progress Pride Flag,” placed it on the grass and spray painted, “F— the fags,” and a poorly drawn swastika. The same message was spray painted in three other locations – two on the sidewalk and one on the front steps of the office.
The 15th Police District responded, and detectives are investigating, though surveillance footage of the suspect – who covered his face – is not clear.
Eisenberg sent a “Dear Friends in Christ” letter to the congregation,
“I and those who discovered this act of hate are deeply upset, frustrated and saddened,” he wrote.
The graffiti was pressure washed promptly, and the church has replaced the Progress flag, which it displays to show its commitment to welcome and inclusion.
“From this perpetrator’s perspective, his messages of hate were gone within 12 hours after he put them up,” Eisenberg wrote, asking his flock to pray for the perpetrator to seek repentance.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153. ••
