GLENDALE, Calif.—The owner of a car that was parked in Glendale reported June 9 that it was scratched in multiple locations with words in support of the LGBT community and a derogatory word used to attack those of Armenian descent.
The car’s owner hailed a Glendale Police Department officer Friday afternoon and told officers he parked his car in the 600 block of East Lomita Avenue, near Glendale Avenue, at approximately 9 p.m. Thursday and returned Friday morning. He said he found his car had been keyed, according to Sgt. Victor Jackson, the department’s public information officer.
There were scratches on the passenger side, rear panel, roof, and hood, Jackson said.
“IT'S OK TO BE QUEER,” “PRIDE,” “STOP HATING,” and “LBGTQ” were among the phrases scratched into the paint, along with a derogatory word used to attack those of Armenian descent that police did not disclose, Jackson said.
Detectives from the department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit, which investigates hate crimes, immediately began an investigation, according to Jackson. The car was taken into police custody for forensic testing, Jackson said.
Glendale has one of the nation’s largest populations of people of Armenian descent.
The discovery of the vandalism came three days after a melee broke out outside the Glendale Unified School District headquarters, where a resolution to designate June as Pride Month was under consideration by the school board.
Glendale Police Chief Manuel Cid on Wednesday blamed “agitators on both sides of the issue” of teaching children about sexual identities in school for inciting violence.
