SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Two religious institutions in San Diego's Bankers Hill neighborhood were vandalized overnight Thursday, marking the second such incident in a week, police said.
The San Diego Police Department responded to reports of vandalism at Saint Paul's Episcopal Cathedral and Ohr Shalom Synagogue around 6 a.m. Both properties were marked with black spray paint, including the words "Lebanon" and "Gaza" on the synagogue's walls.
The cathedral was defaced with profanity and other hostile messages.
"We're sad and disappointed, but at the same time, we're called to forgiveness, and we're praying for whoever this is just as we would anybody else," said Richard Hogue Jr. of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral.
The two worship sites, located within a five-minute walk of each other, were similarly vandalized just one week ago.
The San Diego Police Department's Criminal Intelligence Hate Crimes Unit is investigating both incidents.
"The San Diego Police Department understands the significant impact these crimes have on the community, and we are committed to doing everything possible to hold the individual(s) who committed these crimes accountable," a statement from the department said.
No further details about the ongoing investigation were immediately available.
