Swastikas, ‘Praise Trump' Messages Scrawled Over Phone Booths in Midtown

Phone booths along Ninth Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan have been scrawled with swastikas.

The hateful messaging, scrawled along with the words "Praise Trump," started popping up across the neighborhood about three days ago, workers in nearby businesses say.

But now local residents and business owners are fighting back, covering the swastikas in newspaper, or with more positive messages.

"I think it's disgusting," Hell's Kitchen resident Tyler Schuler said.

One of the swastikas scrawled on the phone booths between 54th and 52nd streets has been covered over with the words "Keep HK hate free."

Crown Heights resident Raven Carter said this was the right response.

"We know that this isn't a perfect world, and things like this do exist, but I'm glad to see people are standing strong and believing in positivity."

The graffiti is the latest in what the NYPD says is an increase in reported hate crimes, up 35 percent so far this year compared to 2015.

Last month swastikas and President-elect Donald Trump's name were spray painted inside a Brooklyn playground

But while Trump's name can also be seen next to the swastikas on Ninth Avenue, Schuler says the only person to blame for the show of ignorance is the author of the message themselves.

"Seriously, grow up," he said. "We need to come together."

Anybody out there watching seriously grow up! We need to come together

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