Washington, DC, September 21, 2009 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) praised the Anne Arundel County Police Department for the arrest of the two individuals alleged to have vandalized a church bus with racist graffiti. The two unnamed teens have confessed to spray painting the letters 'KKK' on a bus parked at St. Matthews United Methodist Church, and they are each being charged with one count of destruction of property and hate crime.

"We applaud the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their diligent investigation of this crime," said Emily Friedman, ADL Assistant Regional Director. "The expeditious arrests and charges send a clear message that no level of hate crimes will be tolerated in our community, and that perpetrators of such crimes will face consequences for their actions."

Hate crime statutes have been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia.  Many of those laws are based on a model statute crafted by ADL, which has long been in the forefront of national and state efforts to deter and counteract hate-motivated criminal activity.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.