Press Release

ADL Appalled by Church Vandalism Incidents in Wilmington, MA

Boston, MA, February 4, 2013 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed horror about a slew of church vandalism incidents in Wilmington, Massachusetts, north of Boston.

Three area churches, including St. Thomas of Villanova, St. Dorothy’s Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Congregational Church were defaced with anti-Christian graffiti, including the words “brainwashing.”  The graffiti was discovered on the morning of February 2.

Robert Trestan, Acting ADL New England Regional Director, issued the following statement:

We were horrified by the hateful messages that were scrawled on the walls and statues of sacred Christian sites in Wilmington. An attack on any place of worship is an assault on the entire community.

We are confident that law enforcement is making this investigation a priority and that those responsible will be apprehended and prosecuted. We call on people of all faiths to denounce these acts and stand in solidarity with the Wilmington churches and the affected parishes.

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.