For Immediate Release

Saturday, Jan. 5 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Burlington Police Department Identifies Graffiti Suspect

Juvenile Suspect Claims He was Drawing “Pro Era” Hip-Hop Band’s Logo

BURLINGTON — Chief Michael Kent reports that the Burlington Police Department has identified a suspect after multiple examples of graffiti were found outside an elementary school in town.

A juvenile male, age 17, of Burlington was questioned by police on Friday. The department may bring criminal charges against the suspect.

Police were called to the Pine Glen Elementary School on Thursday morning to conduct an investigation. Burlington Police Detective Jim Tigges was assigned to the case. Police found two examples of what were at first thought to be incorrectly drawn swastikas on a stop sign and on the brick facade of the school building. Other graffiti tags were also found on a door and refuse bin.

Police identified the suspect after reviewing surveillance footage.

After questioning the suspect and conducting research, the department has determined that the graffiti was not a swastika but rather the logo of the hip-hop musical collective known as Pro Era, whose logo — the numbers four and seven interwoven over a white circle and red background, has generated controversy for its resemblance to the Nazi flag.

Further analysis indicated that the juvenile has shared his affinity for Pro Era in the past in social media postings.

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