Two churches in the Pinecrest neighborhood of North Seattle have recently been targeted with racist messages.
“F— China” and “You will pay” were spelled out in straw or hay in the parking lot of International Full Gospel Fellowship (IFGF) Church, according to KIRO 7 News.
A similar message was found at the parking lot of Grace Chinese Lutheran Church. These incidents follow the demonstrations held over the past weekend across Seattle to raise awareness of the rise of anti-Asian attacks.
Someone left hateful anti-Asian messages in the parking lots of two CHURCHES in North Seattle.
IFGF & Grace Chinese Lutheran.
It’s at least the 4th time IFGF has been targeted. One neighbor said he tries to walk in groups now in case anything escalates. #StopAsianHate #KIRO7 pic.twitter.com/nUJkui5C8w
— Deedee Sun (@DeedeeKIRO7) March 16, 2021
A witness says the messages were created by a small group of people. A member of the Grace Chinese Lutheran Church shared that he is taking more precautions now. He is concerned that the anti-Asian sentiment in his community will only worsen.
“You kind of don’t think it’ll happen where you’ll live,” he said.
Malia Katy DiSalvo, a Facebook user who is part of the public Pinehurst Seattle Facebook group, posted photos of the IFGF parking lot with a caption urging people to “do better.”
“Excuse the language, but this was just found in the IFGF church parking lot this morning, about 50 yards from the daycare that my son and daughter went to,” the post says. “No one needs a reminder, but here it is: hate and racism is out there and real in 2021. We have got to do better…”
Residents of the area say they’ve encountered such incidents before. It is now the fourth time that the IFGF Church has been targeted.
A concerned church member has allegedly contacted the Seattle police to file a police report. According to a spokesperson for the Seattle Police Department, its Bias Crimes Unit will be conducting an investigation.
Do you have a hate incident to report? Help us document the recent rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans by going to STOP AAPI HATE to report an incident. Please stay safe out there.
Feature Image via @DeedeeKIRO7 (left), PinehurstSeattle (right)
