Vile racist graffiti has been daubed on the outside of a house just days before a family from Sri Lanka are due to move in.
The disgusting and ignorant messages included ‘P***’ and ‘Allar Akbar’ (sic) and were smeared in black paint all over the front of the terraced property in Speke, Liverpool.
Allahu Akbar is an Arabic phrase which translates as ‘Allah is Greater’. It is recited by Muslims and Arabic-speaking Orthodox Christians as an expression of their faith.
It is believed the racist yobs struck late on Saturday or in the early hours of yesterday.
The house is currently unoccupied, but a Sri Lankan family are due to move in after having moved to the area from London.
The people behind the racist graffiti apparently mistook their new neighbours for Pakistani Muslims, rather than Sri Lankan Hindus.
The family-of-five are due to join other members of the same Sri Lankan family who have already been living in Speke for the past two years.
Yesterday, the racist graffiti had been whitewashed while both the upstairs and downstairs windows, which were also smashed in the attack, were boarded up.
The new owner of the house, who declined to be named, said: ‘We have been getting the house ready so I can move in with my family.
‘I have been living in London for 11 years and we are moving here to join my brother. I’ve never seen anything like this before.
‘We are not even Muslims, we are Hindus, and we hate the terrorists also.
The house is currently unoccupied, but a Sri Lankan family are due to take up residence
‘I am very upset and scared now. I have a wife and three young children but we are still going to move in.’
He said sympathetic neighbours had been bringing gifts, including chocolates, after the racist graffiti was discovered.
A nearby resident said: ‘I got the shock of my life when I woke up this morning and saw the outside of the house. It’s heartbreaking. I’ve lived here 15 years and this is the first time anything like this has happened.
‘I just hope it hasn’t put off the family who are moving in. The vast majority of people in Speke are not like that.’
Detective Inspector Debbie Tipton said: ‘We will not tolerate hate crimes being committed against members of our community and everything possible is being done to investigate this incident.
Yesterday, the racist graffiti had been whitewashed while both the upstairs and downstairs windows, which were also smashed in the attack, were boarded up
‘We believe the house was probably targeted some time after 10pm last night [Saturday] and the offenders have smashed the windows in the house and daubed offensive graffiti all over the front of the property – it’s sickening to think that people think that this kind of behaviour is acceptable.
‘Everyone has the right to live peacefully within their community and to go about their daily lives without harassment from others just because they are perceived to be different.
‘We will take the strongest possible action against those who behaved in this unacceptable way.’
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives on 0151 777 4086, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
By KEILIGH BAKER FOR MAILONLINE
