A woman has been charged with a bias-motivated crime in Denver for allegedly defacing and vandalizing the Cathedral Basilica of Immaculate Conception with graffiti, including profanity-laced terms and messages of hate.
Madeline Cramer, 26, allegedly caused about $10,000 in damages, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
On Oct. 10, foul graffiti was spray painted on walls and doors at the Cathedral Basilica, 1530 Logan St., according to authorities. A pedestal of a statue on the property was tagged with red paint that read: Satan Love Wins.
Cramer allegedly fled the Denver area to Oregon, but turned herself in to law enforcement Wednesday night, according to a DA’s news release.
Cramer has been charged with one count of criminal mischief, a felony, and one count of bias-motivated crime, a misdemeanor, the release said.
Among the graffiti terms and messages were: KKK, a Swastika, Satan Lives Here, White Supremacists, and an upside down cross.
“We are grateful that the Denver Police, Portland Police, and the Denver District Attorney’s Office have taken this situation seriously,” the archdiocese said in a statement.
Other churches have been the target of recent vandalism. The Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, archbishop for the Archdiocese of Denver, recently addressed acts of vandalism and bias-motivated crime.
“We live in a divided and pluralistic society, but acts of violence and hate are never the answer to our differences,” Archbishop Aquila said after the Oct. 10 incident. “I pray for an end to these attacks, healing for the impacted communities, and that God’s love will be known by anyone who feels compelled to commit these acts.”
Cramer had a first advisement Thursday morning, and her next court date is schedule for Feb. 14.
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