Racist graffiti reappearing in Shelburne

Swastikas and neo-Nazi slogans are popping up in the Shelburne area, prompting complaints from residents and an RCMP investigation.

Tom Jacklyn said "KKK" and "white power" were written on lockers and inside washrooms of Shelburne Regional High School, as well as on a rock outside the building.

He said "white power" was spray-painted at a sports field in Jordan and a noose was strung up in the gazebo near the basketball court.

"It's not a good feeling, especially in a small mixed community like Shelburne," said Jacklyn, who is black.

Jacklyn said the graffiti first appeared in February. He said when his son, a student at the high school, told him about it, he went to investigate. The slogans were removed, but quickly reappeared.

"The kids from the black community don't feel safe now. They're going into the schools and the classrooms and seeing this and hearing this and the Hitler salutes going around," Jacklyn said.

Jacklyn, 40, grew up in the area. He finds the graffiti shocking.

"It's never been up front and in your face like this," he said.

Jacklyn said a couple of people are claiming responsibility and say they're part of a white supremacist group in the United States.

Shelburne RCMP are investigating. At a community meeting Wednesday night, RCMP said the culprits are young people, the Chronicle Herald reported.

Jacklyn hopes the culprits are arrested and charged.

"It's 2011. I thought we were past that," he said.

Darlene Lawrence, the meeting organizer, said she is already seeing something positive come from the situation.

"People are concerned from the white community and the black community. They want to do what's right. They want to put a stop to this and they have come together," she said.

A committee has been struck to monitor how school officials and RCMP are responding to concerns.