Supervisor Ed Lachterman, left, with parks superintendent James Martorano, Jr. at the Atomic War Veterans Memorial Bridge on August 25, 2026. Photo courtesy of the Town of Yorktown
Supervisor Ed Lachterman condemned an act of hate vandalism discovered this week on the Atomic War Veterans Memorial Bridge, a popular pedestrian span that links the Granite Knolls and Legacy Park trails over the Taconic State Parkway.
On Aug. 24, the town’s Parks Department received an email reporting a swastika carved into the bridge’s concrete flooring. A second report from a hiker followed Tuesday morning. Town Supervisor Ed Lachterman and town employees visited the site, where a police officer documented three hateful symbols and words before they were removed.
The Yorktown Police Department referred the case to the New York State Police, but authorities determined there was little chance of identifying a suspect because of the unknown time frame and lack of cameras on the trail. Town crews then buffed the symbols out of the concrete after securing permission from state officials.
“Antisemitic and racist graffiti has no place in Yorktown—or anywhere in our society. Although the Atomic War Veterans Memorial Bridge falls under the jurisdiction of New York State Parks and the New York State Department of Transportation, Yorktown acted immediately,” said Supervisor Lachterman on Wednesday. “Our Police Department documented the vandalism, and our Parks Department removed the hateful graffiti because we were in the best position to respond quickly. We will never allow messages of hate to go unanswered in our community.”
Town officials are encouraging park users to report any suspicious activity or vandalism on local trails and facilities.