East Winston churches, businesses
repeatedly targeted with graffiti
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Since late last year,
several properties in the
East Winston Community,
including several church
es, have been the target of
constant graffiti. Several
people in the community
believe it’s the work of
individuals trying to raise
racial tension.
According to Rev.
Stephen Tyndall, pas
tor of Freedom Baptist
Church, the vandalism
at his church located on
East 14th Street began a
few months after five of
ficers and a nurse were
charged with involuntary
manslaughter in connec
tion to the death of John
Neville, a Black man who
died from asphyxia after
being restrained while be
ing detained at the Forsyth
County Jail.
Tyndall, who is a na
tive of Winston-Salem and
a graduate of Can er High
School, said vandalism at
the church began with a
brick being hurled through
the front window. Church
officials arrived one morn
ing and found the brick on
the floor, surrounded by
glass from the broken win
dow. "It wasn’t too long
after I first became pastor
here and I got the call that
somebody threw a brick
through the front win
dow,” Tyndall said while
sitting in the sanctuary last
week.
But that was only the
beginning of the problems
for Tyndall and Freedom
Baptist.
After the window was
repaired, a few weeks later
a photo of Neville accom
panied with the words
"Justice for John Neville"
was posted on the side of
the church. Then a few
days later, "BlacK Power”
was spray painted on the
sign outside the church.
.And about three weeks
after that, "BlacK Power”
was spray painted on the
sign again, and on a van
parked outside the church.
The van belongs to another
congregation that rents the
sanctuary from Freedom
Baptist. The catalytic con
verter was also stolen off
the van.
Ptxw by Tevin S^kcq
Graffiti reading "BlacK Power" and other vandalism has terroized East Winston for several months.
Following the incident
with the sign and the van.
the vandalism stopped for
a while but it has picked up
in recent months.
"We painted back over
that and we didn't have
nothing for a while and
then somebody came and
did the other side of the
sign. We had a funeral
here last Wednesday, so
we painted over it and then
Saturday somebody came
and hit it again." Tyndall
said.
Freedom Baptist hasn't
been the only target in the
area. Several churches and
homes have had catalytic
converters stolen off vans
and other vehicles in re
cent months and business
es. homes, bus stops, and
other churches have been
tagged with "BlacK Pow
er" in black spray paint,
including a ear during
Sunday service at St. Mark
www.wschronicle.com
Lutheran Church, w hich is
located at 1151 14th St.
Around the same time.
Freedom Baptist was
tagged two weeks ago.
"Kill the Whithe Man”
was spray painted outside
a hair salon on 14th St. as
well. Sometime between
Sunday night or early
Monday morning, the local
branch of Catholic Chari
ties located at 1612 East
14th St. was tagged with
the same wording, in what
seems to be the exact same
handwriting that has ter
rorized the East Winston
Communirc for months.
Over the weekend. Iglesia
Cristiana Acra de Refugio
Inc., a nonprofit located at
the corner of 10th Street
and Cleveland Avenue was
also targeted and the sign
in front of the building was
shattered with a brick.
Terry Smith Jr., who
works at Ultimate Access
LLC. a carwash located
at the corner of 14th and
Liberty’ Streets, said they
were tagged early this year
as well. When discussing
the vandalism Smith, who
is Black, said. "It's not
one of us," referring to his
race.
"Why would w e do
this to our own businesses
in our own community?
That's somebody trying to
start something."
Smith said he believes
whoever is responsible
is traveling to the area to
vandalize properties and
ignite conflict, and he isn't
alone. Rev. Tyndall, who
has never met Smith, said
the same thing.
"I really don’t think it's
us. I think it's somebody
trying to mess with us."
Tyndall said.
The Winston-Salem
Police Department has
said they have been get
ting a lot of calls about
vandalism in the area and
they have encouraged the
community to report every
incident. They also men
tioned that they have in
creased patrols in the area.
Images of the vandals have
been captured on video,
but they appear to have
been wearing masks and
bandanas on their faces.
Tyndall said it has been
frustrating to deal with, but
he won't let it stop him; he
said it only makes him go
harder. When asked what
he would sac if he could
talk to the person respon
sible. for the vandalism.
Tyndall said. "I w ould say
... honestly, you're not
hurting us. you're only
hurting yourself at the end
of the day. because this is
not man's building ... this
is God's house. So before
you do it again, you need
to be mindfill and realize
who's house you're van
dalizing.
"And whether you
choose to believe in God
or not you're going to
have to give an account for
it. so w hile you still have a
chance, make it right. I'm
not even saying turn your
self in, just stop.
"Right your wrongs.
Just stop, because eventu
ally you're going to have
to give an account.”
Editor's Note: The
graffiti referred to in this
story has misspellings and
syntax errors. H e printed
those typos as they' itppear
on the vandalized prop
erty.