COLUMBIA, S.C. — Charleston police are investigating the vandalism of South Carolina U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s Daniel Island home after someone spray-painted it with profanity and symbols during Memorial Day weekend.
A statement and a video from Mace’s congressional office shows graffiti painted on the street outside of the freshman Republican congresswoman’s home, the sidewalk leading up to her house and on the side of her home.
Part of the graffiti on the sidewalk reads, “No gods, no masters, all politicians are bastards,” and is followed by the anarchist “A” symbol. “Pass the pro act” also was spray-painted on the side of her home, referring to a bill currently in Congress that would protect the rights of workers to organize.
“Although my kids and I are thankfully fine, the criminal events at my home where I’m raising my two children are unacceptable no matter your politics,” Mace said. “I sincerely appreciate law enforcement doing all they can to find the criminal trespassers who vandalized my home with Antifa symbols and profanity on Memorial Day.”
The Charleston Police Department is handling the investigation, and a spokesman said Tuesday no arrests had been made.
A police report provided to media outlets said officers responded to Mace’s home on Wando Landing Street Monday morning. Mace told police her daughter noticed “several black graffiti marks” after she returned home Sunday night.
In a statement, Mace referred to the symbols and slogans as belonging to “antifa,” though both are linked more closely with the anarchist movement. Antifa is a far left, anti-facist movement, while anarchism advocates for the removal of government. Not all anti-facists identify as anarchists.
“There is a significant difference between nonviolent protests, and criminal acts of intimidation and vandalism,” Mace said in a statement. “We should all be able to feel safe in our own homes, regardless of our political beliefs.”
In their report, Charleston police said officers found other graffiti at different locations across Daniel Island, including near Barfield Park and Center Park. In Barfield Park, someone spray-painted the acronym for “Make American Great Again” and wrote an expletive on the ground at Center Park. Near Daniel Island Drive and Mazo Street, someone also spray-painted “Black lives matter” in the roadway, according to the police report.
This was not the first vandalism reported by Mace.
In October 2020, a month before she was elected to Congress, Mace reported that her car had been keyed and an expletive had been scratched into the side. At the time, Mace said she was convinced the act was politically motivated and meant to intimidate her.
On Tuesday morning, Mace called for a de-escalation of political rhetoric.
“I urge everyone to take a moment to think about their words and their actions at this time. And it’s not just social media, but our words impact real people and impact real lives,” she said. “We should think about taking it down a notch.”
South Carolina Republicans quickly condemned the vandals.
“Acts of vandalism and hate are simply unacceptable and have no place in our society,” tweeted U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-North Charleston. “Praying for you, the kids, and our community. I trust our local law enforcement officers will get to the bottom of this soon.”
Gov. Henry McMaster tweeted, “No one should ever have their home vandalized and this type of behavior is unacceptable and appalling.”
“We are better than this as a country and divisive acts used for intimidation need to end. I’m certain our law enforcement agencies will find the guilty party,” McMaster added.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg called the vandalism “cowardly” and said it “will not be tolerated.”
“Here in Charleston, we don’t deface monuments and we don’t vandalize people’s homes,” Tecklenburg said in a statement. “Basic human decency is not a political issue — and people who don’t understand that will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
