San Francisco, CA
San Francisco church shocked by swastika scrawled on its front door
Within the wake of mass shootings and hate crimes, the invention of a swastika on the entrance door of the River of Life church in Visitacion Valley in San Francisco has shocked and anxious the congregation and its pastor.
Pastor Robert Cowan mentioned his spouse, April, seen the swastika — scrawled in black marker above a window on the entrance door — when she went to the church Thursday afternoon to open it up for a line-dancing class. She instantly known as her husband and son, a San Francisco police officer, who suggested his mother and father to report the incident as against the law.
“As you possibly can think about, I used to be very surprised,” he mentioned. “That’s very final thing I’d have suspected in San Francisco — possibly if we had been in Mississippi. However in a multicultural atmosphere like Visitacion Valley, I used to be shocked.”
Cowan, a San Francisco native, is aware of that racism and discrimination are alive within the Bay Space however was nonetheless surprised to discover a hate image championing Nazi Germany on his church’s entrance door.
Given latest mass shootings, together with at church buildings, admits that the incident has provoked “anxious trepidation” amongst congregants that the incident might presage a bodily assault.
San Francisco police rapidly assured Cowan they might examine. In addition they referred him to SF Secure, a non-profit that works with the police division on security packages.
Cowan mentioned he plans to extend safety on the church, together with including cameras and coaching congregation members in what to do if somebody had been to assault the church when individuals are current.
“I’d hate to should do drills,” he mentioned, “however we’re going to put together the congregation.”
Step one might be a gathering with the congregation, which has between 50 and 100 members, he mentioned, to debate the incident and any worries or issues folks might have.
Cowan mentioned he intends to take away the swastika — however not fairly but.
“It’s going to be after the congregation meets on Wednesday,” he mentioned, “to allow them to see it themselves and know what we’re coping with.”
Michael Cabanatuan (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle workers author. E mail: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan