Masked intruder sprayed 'anti-Covid' graffiti on school building

Gardaí investigating after front of Limerick school defaced in 'serious act of criminal damage'

Graffiti on the walls of Castletroy College in Limerick. Picture: Press 22

A garda investigation is under way after a masked “intruder” destroyed the front of a Limerick school building with “anti-mask” and an “anti-Covid” slogan.

The perpetrator, who may have been assisted by others, was captured on CCTV cameras spray painting the front of Castletroy College secondary school.

The footage has been forwarded to gardaí.

A number of slogans including, “Covid is a hoax”, and, “No masks”, were sprayed onto the front of the building shortly before 6am this morning.

Castletroy College principal Padraig Flanagan, said: “An intruder came in early this morning and proceeded to daub the whole front of our building with anti-Covid and anti-mask slogans It’s a very serious act of criminal damage. 

“We are all day trying to investigate it and remove it, which is proving difficult enough. It’s spray painted and it’s particularly challenging, but we are making progress.” 

Mr Flanagan said there appeared to be “nothing personal nor nothing about personnel about the school”.

“It’s ‘anti-mask’ and ‘anti-Covid’ and all that kind of stuff, so it sounds as if it’s somebody who has pro-civil liberties, or whatever agenda,” he said.

There’s no issue in the school that we are aware of, certainly not with a student or past student or parent, so from our point of view we are baffled as to why we were chosen.

Mr Flanagan said the school building may have been chosen because of its “very prominent public front”, which overlooks a busy thoroughfare.

'Upsetting ' incident 

“It was early this morning, between 5am and 6am. We have [CCTV] and the gardaí have got same.” 

It appears there was “only one” individual involved, however, Mr Flanagan said he was “not discounting there could have been more than one involved”.

“It’s upsetting for the school, students, and parents, and staff, alike. They’ve very upset about it. 

“The gardaí have been here and are investigating; they have been very supportive, and we are very appreciative of how quickly they were on the scene this morning.” 

The removal and painting is likely to be “time-consuming and expensive”, he said.

Mr Flanagan appealed for information that may help gardaí “apprehend the individual/s because it’s a serious act of vandalism and criminal damage to our school”.

A Garda spokesman said: “Gardaí are investigating an incident of criminal damage which occurred in Castletroy, Co Limerick, at approximately 6am this morning. No arrests have been made. Inquiries are ongoing.”