Palo Alto church office vandalism investigated as hate crime

Palo Alto police are investigating an incident of vandalism at a local church office as a hate crime, authorities announced Saturday night.

Police said that pink spray paint was used to write a white supremacist phrase on a wall at the administrative offices of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish on 3290 Middlefield Road. A statue was also sprayed with paint.

Authorities determined the vandalism occurred between Sept. 18 and 24 — and were notified on Sept. 30 after the paint had been removed.