Manchester’s Moka Pot coffee shop was vandalized early Wednesday, according to local police.
Vandals spray-painted the phrase “white power” and swastikas on the side of the building, and they smashed windows.
Nick Carnes, one of the co-owners of the cafe, said his team will not let the incident stop them from being a welcoming space for all people.
“We have plenty of paint to cover up the wall. We have the insurance to pay for the windows. We are a community center, and we accept anyone and everyone into our coffee shop, and we will continue to do so moving forward as well,” he said.
Carnes said staff found the graffiti at six this morning. Police are estimating the vandalism occurred between midnight and four a.m.
Carnes said he did not know why his business was targeted.
Manchester police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
“This was more than property damage. It was a deliberate act intended to intimidate and instill fear, and we will not tolerate that in Manchester,” said Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr in a statement.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice Civil Rights Unit has been alerted by local police.
Carnes said the city is rallying around the shop.
“The community and customer support has been very uplifting,” he said.
