A group of New York City subway commuters joined forces over the weekend to scrub a subway car clean of anti-Semitic graffiti.
Gregory Locke was one of the passengers on the train Saturday evening, and described his disbelief at finding swastikas and other hateful language scrawled on "every advertisement and every window" of the car.
In a Facebook post, Locke said he noticed the graffiti after he boarded the train.
"The train was silent as everyone stared at each other, uncomfortable and unsure what to do," he wrote.
"Nazi symbolism. On a public train. In New York City. In 2017."
Finally, one man stood up and announced that they could probably erase the markings with the right supplies.
A number of people began rifling through their bags, searching for hand sanitizer and tissues, and "within about two minutes, all the Nazi symbolism was gone."
![gregory locke]()
A commuter gets to work with hand sanitizer and tissue. (Photo: Gregory Locke/Facebook)
The New York Police Department told Reuters it is investigating a possible hate crime after the subway graffiti was reported on Sunday.
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was among thousands online who applauded the quick-thinking commuters.
"We will not let hate win," she tweeted early Sunday, with a screengrab of Locke's Facebook post. "And, another reason to carry hand sanitizer."
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also condemned the markings, and shared a photo of a graffiti swastika that someone had drawn over to form a box with the letters L-O-V-E.
"This is what New Yorkers do - we turn hate into love. And we wont back down - not now, not ever," he tweeted.
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Gregory Locke was one of the passengers on the train Saturday evening, and described his disbelief at finding swastikas and other hateful language scrawled on "every advertisement and every window" of the car.
In a Facebook post, Locke said he noticed the graffiti after he boarded the train.
"The train was silent as everyone stared at each other, uncomfortable and unsure what to do," he wrote.
"Nazi symbolism. On a public train. In New York City. In 2017."
Finally, one man stood up and announced that they could probably erase the markings with the right supplies.
A number of people began rifling through their bags, searching for hand sanitizer and tissues, and "within about two minutes, all the Nazi symbolism was gone."
A commuter gets to work with hand sanitizer and tissue. (Photo: Gregory Locke/Facebook)
The New York Police Department told Reuters it is investigating a possible hate crime after the subway graffiti was reported on Sunday.
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was among thousands online who applauded the quick-thinking commuters.
"We will not let hate win," she tweeted early Sunday, with a screengrab of Locke's Facebook post. "And, another reason to carry hand sanitizer."
We will not let hate win. And, another reason to carry hand sanitizer. pic.twitter.com/bgrAJf7SCv
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 5, 2017
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also condemned the markings, and shared a photo of a graffiti swastika that someone had drawn over to form a box with the letters L-O-V-E.
"This is what New Yorkers do - we turn hate into love. And we wont back down - not now, not ever," he tweeted.
This is what New Yorkers do - we turn hate into love. And we wont back down -not now, not ever. #TurnHateIntoLove pic.twitter.com/yVEsTY2aGc
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 5, 2017
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