Police and neighbors in Stafford are looking for answers after antisemitic and white supremacist graffiti was recently discovered on a vacant school building.

Around 9:45 p.m., police officers responded to a report of graffiti to which the CT State Police Hate Crimes Unit was assigned to investigate.

Pictures show at least two swastikas and a number associated with white supremacy that was spray-painted on the back of the old Borough Elementary School on Prospect Street, which is now vacant.

A neighborhood canvas revealed that the graffiti had been present on the building for a year or longer, police said.

“It’s painful,” said Rabbi James Greene of Stafford. He learned about the graffiti about ten days ago when his daughter got word of it from friends.

“So she was Googling, ‘What does this number mean? What’s going on here?’ and she’s asking me why do these people not want us here?” said Greene.

Greene reported the graffiti to Stafford First Selectman Sal Titus, who said the incident is not reflective of town values.

“Obviously every town has issues, but I don’t think we have a racism issue,” said Titus.

As for removing the graffiti, Titus said the town no longer has control over the Borough School. An agreement turned maintenance of the building over to a different establishment.

“That kind of imagery is not welcome in our town and when 11 days after we’ve notified the town that that exists, and it’s still up, it’s simply unacceptable,” said Greene.

The state of Connecticut over the last four years has seen a 20-fold increase in the amount of white supremacist and racist incidents occur.

The First Selectman also added that Connecticut State Police are investigating the incident. There is no word yet on any suspects.