SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Vandals damaged the interior furnishings of of an Indian restaurant in downtown Santa Fe and spray-painted racist comments on walls and art objects in the building.
Cost of the damage to the India Palace was estimated at $100,000, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
The damage included smashing a buffet and overturning tables and chairs.
The comments included “white supremacist stuff” and remarks such as “go back to your country," said Cameron Brown, an associate of restaurant owner Bajit Singh and Singh's son, Baljot Singh.
The Anti-Defamation League’s Mountain States Region said Tuesday in a statement that it was “deeply disturbed by reports of significant vandalism and racist, xenophobic graffiti at India Palace restaurant in downtown Santa Fe.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the vandalism as “”disturbing hate attack."
The incident “once again demonstrates that growing white supremacy, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and racism target every minority community and must be challenged by people of all races, faiths and backgrounds,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.