Swastikas, graffiti spray-painted on building in apparent protest of Prop 8

SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor Gavin Newsom is condemning the vandalism of a Catholic church in San Francisco.

Swastikas and graffiti were spray-painted on the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church over the weekend of Jan. 3-4 in an apparent protest of Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage in California.

Although prominent Catholic leaders supported Proposition 8, the targeted church is in the Castro District, San Francisco’s gay neighborhood.

Pastor Steve Meriweather told radio station KCBS-AM that his parishioners don’t support Proposition 8. “I think it's unfortunate that they selected our community to attack,” he said, “because it’s the wrong one.”

In a statement, Newsom called the attack a “cowardly and criminal act.”