Laurel, Montana – The majority of Sunday was spent by the City of Laurel cleaning up an offensively vandalized restroom at Thompson Park.
The bathroom was practically completely plastered in racial and homophobic epithets, as well as explicit depictions of male genitalia.
Troy Clifton, a city maintenance worker, was in charge of eradicating the vandalism.
“It’s disgusting to be quite honest with you,” Clifton said. “I don’t even know how else to describe it really.”
Although there have been other instances of vandalism in the city, according to Clifton, this one was unique.
“We’ve been seeing it quite a bit all over town, but nothing to this extent,” Clifton said. “I understand kids will be kids, but this isn’t kids’ stuff. This had malicious intent behind it. There were some racist things involved and it’s just unacceptable.”
The photographs were so gruesome, according to the City of Laurel’s Facebook page, that they were being withheld from the general public. Clifton expressed his regret for any parents who had to watch it.
“I couldn’t imagine being a parent and having a child come in, ‘Mom, there’s stuff written all over the wall,'” Clifton said. “It’s just ridiculous.”
Although the damage caused by the vandalism has already been repaired, the city believes that it will cost close to $2,000 to do so. A reward is also being offered for information leading to the identification of a probable suspect.
“This just takes away from parks and all of the other stuff that needs to get done,” Clifton said. “It’s unnecessary.”
