Vandals caused an estimated $30,000 in damage at Old Mission Santa Barbara, according to police.
The Santa Barbara Police Department says the words, “rape, rape, rape, genocide” were written on the outside of the building and red paint could also be seen splattered against the front.
Police say they are processing evidence left at the scene and are working with the church to see if there are any video cameras that may have captured the vandal or vandals in the act.
Authorities were made aware of the incident Wednesday after a passerby noticed the vandalism at about 4:30 a.m., police said.
Wednesday morning, paper was covering the words painted on the front of the building and crime scene tape was blocking off the area.
This isn’t the first time the mission has been vandalized. Last September, the mission said someone spilled fake blood on the St. Junipero Serra statue there.
The mission, established in 1786, is located on the 2200 block of Laguna Street in Santa Barbara.
For more on this story, watch KSBY News Wednesday at 5 and 6 p.m.
