'Class War': South Philadelphia Residents Unsettled After Vandal Spray-Paints Anarchy Graffiti On Dozens Of Homes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The search is on for whoever spray-painted graffiti all over dozens of homes in South Philadelphia over the weekend. Some of the messages are so explicit they are not able to be shown.
The vandal who spray-painted those homes may have been trying to send a message about the changing neighborhood.
But many of the messages are disturbing to neighbors from all backgrounds.
"We never had this kind problem before," one woman said.
"It was a shock," another person added.
Anarchy signs were sprayed across several front doors.
Realty signs were tagged with a message that reads, "'Expletive' the rich."
This is what many people woke up to here on the 1900 block of Lambert Street Sunday morning.
"I'm not by any means rich so to this have on my door felt a little unfair," Laura Williams said.
At least 26 homes were targeted, mostly new construction or renovated homes, including one that was tagged with a message that reads "class war."
"It's just kind of unsettling," Williams said.
"What do you make of that message, class war?" CBS3's Matt Petrillo asked.
"I don't understand it," one neighbor replied.
"What do you make of the gentrification?" Petrillo asked.
"I don't like that. Because people been living around here for years and struggled hard to own their property," the woman said.
"They came in real quick. Everyone thought it was just white people. There are a lot of black people too," Latif Little said.
Still, every neighbor we talked to agreed the vandal behind the spray paint should not have defaced any homes.
"I'm hoping it doesn't happen again," one man said.
"We're all the same. We're all the same," said another man.
"It doesn't matter who's moving in or why they're moving in. Get to know people, get to know your neighbors," Little said.
At this point, police are still searching for security video of the vandal in action. Anyone with information is urged to contact the 1st Police District at 215-686-3010.
