Vandals scrawl anti-police graffiti on several businesses in South Merced, including favorite police hangout

Someone upset with the Merced Police Department spray-painted graffiti messages across several businesses in South Merced.

The messages, which stretch down 12th street from Martin Luther King Jr. Way, include "M.P.D is useless" and "Police profit off the poor."

One of the messages, "Fascists eat here, go home pigs" was painted on the side of Sam Café, 235 W. 12th St., a popular eatery with law enforcement officers.

Owner Sam Malayaong said he first saw the graffiti on Thursday.

"That's pretty heavy, I hope they don't mean me," said Malayaong. "I'm just trying to make a living."

Merced police Lt. Tom Trindad said whoever is behind the messages is hurting the business owners who have to paint over or remove the graffiti, not the police department.

"Everybody has a right to have a grievance against the government as well as the police department, but there are appropriate means to do so," Trindad said, listing off a number of ways someone can complain to the city.

-- Amy Starnes and Jonah Lamb