A spree of recent hate bias incidents ? eight cases of white supremacist slogans and symbols chemically burned into Ellicott City lawns ? marks a new type of racist crime, which observers say first occurred two years ago.
“This chemical thing is something new, as opposed to an attempt to burn a cross,” said Rufus Clanzy, the administrator of Howard County?s Office of Human Rights.
In 2004, in Ellicott City, the symbol of a cross was chemically burned into the lawn of the Howard County School System?s former second highest-ranking official, Chief Academic Officer Kimberly Statham, who is black. Howard County police never caught those responsible.
“The Kim Statham incident was the first one I?ve heard of,” Clanzy said. “I do consider it to be a problem. Given the recent history of Howard County, we have not have a concentration like that before.”
Sean Ryan, general manager of Apex Grounds Management in Ellicott City, said any type of over-the-counter weed killer could burn such images into a lawn.
“All that you would need is Roundup,” he said. “You can buy it at any Home Depot. It could probably be done with bleach or gasoline, also.”
But Howard County police said the fact that those responsible may be long gone from the scene by the time the crime becomes evident doesn?t severely restrict their search for suspects.
“We?re still going to canvass the area andhopefully the evidence will lead to the persons accountable,” said Howard County police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Reidy.
Police in Anne Arundel, Harford, Baltimore and Carroll counties said they have not experienced incidents similar to those in Ellicott City.
