Police are investigating several vandalisms inside public restrooms at City parks and parking garages as hate crimes.
The first incident was reported to our 24-hour dispatch center on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at about 11:07 a.m. at Greer Park at 1098 Amarillo Avenue. The reporting party, an employee of the City’s Public Works Department, told police they had discovered spray-painted swastikas and sexual images inside the men’s restroom. The crime occurred at some point since July 2. Public Works estimated the damage at $600 and removed it.
A Public Works Department employee also reported a graffiti vandalism inside the men’s restroom at Rinconada Park at 777 Embarcadero Road on Monday, July 6, 2026 at about 9:23 a.m. At some point since June 30, an unknown suspect had used a permanent marker to put graffiti on the walls. There was no hate crime component to this particular case. Public Works estimated the damage at $500 and removed it.
As a result of these two incidents, coupled with another hate crime vandalism at Rinconada Park reported on June 11 (see our news release about that case here), the City’s Public Works Department began to inspect other public restroom facilities. On July 9, they reported to police that their inspection revealed 7 additional hate crime vandalisms, all in men’s restrooms, and all of which contained racial epithets directed at Black people. Those crimes occurred at Ramos Park (800 East Meadow Drive), Seale Park (3100 Stockton Place), City Parking Garage S/L (445 Bryant Street), Greer Park (1098 Amarillo Avenue), El Camino Park (155 El Camino Real), Heritage Park (300 Homer Avenue), and City Parking Garage C-7 (350 Sherman Avenue). Public Works has already removed all the graffiti, and estimated the cumulative damage from these four cases at $3400.
At this point, police do not know if any or all the cases are connected or were committed by the same suspect(s). There is no suspect information, and the investigations are ongoing. Police are increasing patrols in the areas of these crimes, as well as other similar City facilities, in response to these cases. Suspects who commit crimes like these can face misdemeanor and even felony charges for vandalism and hate crimes, depending on the amount of damage.
Officers will thoroughly investigate any reported hate crime in Palo Alto. You are welcome to read a blog post from the City entitled “Steps the Community Can Take to Help Stop Hate Crimes.” The City of Palo Alto strongly denounces hate crimes of all kinds and encourages members of our community to promptly report these incidents by calling our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413, or 9-1-1 if it is an emergency.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be sent via text message by texting the keyword PAPD and the tip to 847411, or submitted using the "Palo Alto PD Tips" app, which is available via the App Store or Google Play.
To view this release on the city's website, click here: https://www.paloalto.gov/News-Articles/Police-Department/Police-Investigating-Several-Restroom-Vandalisms-as-Hate-Crimes
