Someone Painted Swastikas All Over North Point. Then Something Good Happened.

As if nothing else was on people's minds these days, we awoke yesterday to the news that someone spray painted swastikas all over North Point Village Center in Reston -- albeit poorly. Many appeared backwards, and something that might have been an attempt at a star of David turned out like a regular five-point star you'd get on a third-grade worksheet, so um, let's just say that maybe these folks aren't exactly accustomed to being rewarded for their intellectual efforts and leave it at that.

But we digress. You can find photos of the hateful graffiti elsewhere, but instead of giving these folks any more attention, we'll share how people responded, including what's turning out to be our own paramilitary tagging operation:

Vandals spraypainted swastikas on the sidewalk at North Point Shopping Center in Reston. The Hooligans showed up to cover it with love. @KenPlum1 @GerryConnolly @RestonOnline @fairfaxcounty @GovernorVA pic.twitter.com/CCCR6WRXmS

— Chalk Hooligans (@ChalkHooligans) May 21, 2020

Hate came to Reston Virginia yesterday but the Chalk Hooligans showed up to cover it with love. Hate has no home here. #ChooseLove @KenPlum1 @GerryConnolly @RestonOnline @fairfaxcounty @GovernorVA pic.twitter.com/qkPaS3X9nO

— Chalk Hooligans (@ChalkHooligans) May 21, 2020

A group of neighbors bought lunch for the workers who cleaned the spray paint and left a sign that read: "We are Reston Strong! Hate has no place here!"

"Reston and the Hunter Mill District have a long history of inclusion and racial and ethnic diversity," Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said in a statement. "Acts of hate will not be tolerated. And vandalism and hate crimes are both criminal acts. Throughout this pandemic we have witnessed tremendous community spirit and goodness and I am confident that will continue."

To the authors of this sign, the workers who removed spray-painted swastikas from the North Point Village Center, and to all who are working to bring their communities closer together during difficult times: I'm grateful for you. Hate has no place here. https://t.co/kKmf5CPi1A pic.twitter.com/5Xtv4OsQsB

— Tim Kaine (@timkaine) May 20, 2020

Love > Hate.