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Residents Clean Up Hateful Graffiti On School

By Andrea Flores

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver's Stapleton community is stunned after learning a swastika was spray painted on a school door over the weekend.

Police said they are hoping security cameras around Isabella Bird Community School will provide some evidence for their investigation.

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(credit: Shana Lurie)

Lis Cohen saw the hateful image through a community Facebook page and made it her mission to clean it up.

"I'm Jewish, and it just made me want to throw up," said Cohen after learning about the attack.

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(credit: CBS)

Within an hour, Cohen says dozens of strangers showed up to lend a helping hand.

"Mr. Rogers used to say, 'If something scary happens, look for all the helpers,' and there were so many helpers," she said.

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(credit: CBS)

Parents like Tamaan Osbourne Roberts say they're thankful the community worked together to remove the graffiti.

"I was horrified," Osbourne-Roberts said. "This is where my kids go to school, this is my community, and this is where I live."

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(credit: CBS)

Denver Public Schools says while Isabella Bird is a diverse school that welcomes refugee students new to the United States, it's unclear if that's the motive behind the incident.

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(credit: CBS)

"My kids are two small people of color, and to have a swastika on the school they go to is terrifying," Osbourne-Roberts said. "Even though the hateful words are gone, how do we show love?"

The Stapleton Jewish Life Center called the vandalism "deeply offensive" in a statement and announced plans to hold what they called a solidarity parade next month that will start at the school.

Andrea Flores is a reporter for CBS4. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @AndreaFloresTV.

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