Kauaʻi officials condemn antisemitic vandalism on Nounou Mountain

Kapaʻa resident Jennifer Carey, who is Jewish, told Hawaiʻi News Now she felt in danger after seeing someone on Sunday spray-paint swastikas for about a half mile on the popular Sleeping Giant Trail on Nounou Mountain.

On Wednesday, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami and Kauaʻi Police Chief Elliott Kalani Ke issued a joint public statement saying they condemned antisemitic vandalism that was discovered over the weekend.

Kawakami said the graffiti does not reflect the values of the island community and emphasized a commitment to inclusion and safety.

“This kind of hateful behavior is not who we are as a community, and it has no place on Kauaʻi,” Kawakami said, adding that the county remains committed to keeping the island “safe and welcoming for all residents and visitors.”

A spokesperson for the Kauaʻi Police Department said Wednesday that Carey never reported the incident to law enforcement.

The Kauaʻi Police Department is not conducting its own investigation, but Ke said the department is aware of the vandalism and is “providing assistance to DLNR as needed.”

The Department of Land and Natural Resources is the lead investigative agency because the trail is located on state-managed land.

“With the facts and circumstances known at this time, Kauaʻi DOCARE (Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement) is classifying this case as criminal property damage in the third degree, as this section of the law specifically articulates damages to trees,” said Andrew Laurence, communications director for the state agency.

Criminal property damage in the third degree is a misdemeanor. However, a person convicted under subsection (1)(c) must be sentenced to at least 90 days in prison, with no eligibility for probation or suspension of sentence.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources said the graffiti, which was on trees and a bench, was “removed by using a non-toxic, biodegradable, citrus-based degreaser, water and scrubbing implements.”

The targeted trees are “mostly pine and guava trees,” Laurence said. “Paint is toxic and can cause damage to trees and the watershed.”

At the current time, no suspect has been identified.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact DLNR at 808-643-DLNR. Suspicious activity can be reported to KPD Dispatch at 808-241-1711 or by calling 911 in an emergency.