Whitemarsh police investigating racial slur spray-painted on bike path

The Whitemarsh Township Police Department announced today that it is investigating a racial slur that was spray-painted on the bike path that runs between McCarthy Park and the Colonial School District’s Victory Fields at the border of Plymouth Meeting and Lafayette Hill. According to the notice, the incident took place on September 18th and the police were notified at 7:30 p.m. There was also a witness who confronted a juvenile male while he was in the act. The township held its Township Day event at the fields on September 18th.

From the notice:

On Saturday September 18th, 2021 at approximately 1930 hours, our officers were alerted to vandalism to the bike bath along McCarthy Park, in the area of LaFrance Rd and Fairway Rd.

Spray painted across the path, in white paint, was a racial slur. We immediately attempted to have the slur removed, and Public Works was dispatched first thing this morning to remove the writing. A local resident took it upon himself to power wash the majority of the vandalism off of the pathway.

Whitemarsh Police take these incidents very seriously, and are actively and aggressively investigating. During our preliminary investigation, a witness was located who saw the vandalism in progress and confronted the actor, who was described as a juvenile male. That witness has provided a statement regarding the incident and the investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Whitemarsh Township Police Department at (610) 825-6530 and ask for the detective division.