‘Shocked that this could happen here’: racist graffiti left by vandals at Lockview High School

WATCH ABOVE: Racist and offensive graffiti left behind in a break-in at Lockview High School has shocked football coaches and RCMP. Rebecca Lau reports.

FALL RIVER, N.S. – Racist and offensive graffiti left behind in a break-in at Lockview High School has shocked football coaches and RCMP.

The field locker, which is located on the high school’s football field, is used by multiple teams as a change room and a place to keep their gear.

Fall River Minor Football president Ian Avery says it appears the suspects have been scaling the chain link fence and breaking into the portable repeatedly, but it’s unclear for how long. The building was locked up at the end of the school year in June.

“There’s a swastika, some nice foul language, another swastika in the corner,” Avery said, as he stood in front of a wall covered in red spray paint.

“[I’m] disappointed, surprised, shocked that this could happen here.”

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In addition to the slew of offensive graffiti, there are fast food containers, blacked out windows, a peephole carved into the wall and a large container of liquid. Graffiti above the jug indicates it is filled with urine.

“It almost looks like the building was being used for a clubhouse,” he said. “We don’t know for how long or for how many nights they were here but there is evidence of some food wrappers inside so it wasn’t just for one night.”

A coach uncovered the break-in on Sunday, after noticing a small amount of graffiti on the building’s exterior.

“This graffiti — it’s on the floors, it’s on the ceiling, it’s on the tile. It could be a $1,000, $1,200 to get it fixed and then we’ve got the door that’s got to be repaired. It’s not something we had budgeted for,” Avery said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This graffiti — it's on the floors, it's on the ceiling, it's on the tile. It could be a $1,000, $1,200 to get it fixed and then we've got the door that's got to be repaired. It's not something we had budgeted for," Avery said.

Earlier this month, there was a rash of vandalism at nearby Ash Lee Jefferson Elementary School that included graffiti and broken windows. RCMP are now looking into whether the incidents are linked.

“You’re looking at charges of break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, that being mischief in this case,” said Cpl. Greg Church. “There are a number of different charges that could be applied in this scenario.”

Minor football resumes in two weeks, so Avery says they need to clean the building up promptly.

“We hope the RCMP will be able to catch these guys. It’s pretty disappointing. We’re hoping they can bring these guys to justice.”