Portland robbery detectives arrested a woman who committed vandalism of a cathedral in the state of Colorado. She was caught in the Portland area off Southeast Division Street near 122nd Avenue. Swastikas and other messages were painted on the church located near the Colorado Capitol.
Madeline Ann Cramer vandalized the Cathedral Basilica in Denver, authorities said. Denver authorities guessed she was in the Portland area. They caught up with her. Churches throughout Colorado have been the targets of vandalism and hate speech over the past few years. The messages spray painted on the church’s walls and doors included the terms “child rapists,” a homophobic slur, and references to Satan.
Father Samuel Morehead, the cathedral rector, said he was alerted about the vandalism by parishioners as they arrived to prepare for Sunday Mass. Father Samuel Morehead said last month. “It’s attacking the Catholic Church for being Catholic in ways that are so stereotypical, but also so debasing.” Father Morehead told CNA that an eyewitness saw a person spray-painting the church around 7:45 a.m. Early indications are of a lone woman who carried out the attack, though police have not shared any information about persons of interest. Father Morehead said police street cameras caught images of the person in the act, though he does not know if the footage is clear enough to make an identification.
A spokesperson for Denver Police confirmed to CBS4 that the department is investigating the incident. The graffiti has since been cleaned off with the help of parishioners and other volunteers. The paint has been power-washed off the main doors, Father Morehead said, and a specialist is currently working to remove the paint from the cathedral’s stonework.
