German police have launched an investigation after swastikas painted in human blood appeared on dozens of cars, mailboxes and building facades in the central city of Hanau, CBS News reports, reports News.bg.
Police spokesman Thomas Leipold said officers were alerted Wednesday evening when a man reported a reddish liquid shaped like a swastika on the hood of a parked car. A special test determined that the substance was human blood.
A total of nearly 50 cars were similarly affected, and the incidents also included several other graffiti on cars and buildings that investigators are yet to identify in more detail.
“The protocol is completely unclear“, said Leipold, adding that it is not yet clear whether specific objects were targeted or the symbols were placed randomly. There are no reports of injuries, and the origin of the blood remains unknown.
Police are investigating property damage and the use of symbols by unconstitutional organizations. In Germany, displaying Nazi emblems, including the swastika, is illegal because they are a symbol of hatred and the trauma of the Holocaust. Nevertheless, racist and neo-Nazi groups continue to use the swastika to incite fear and hatred.