“It’s very unacceptable. It’s embarrassing because when you come out here to this park, all you see is diverse,” Adriana Martinez said.
BEDFORD, Texas — A vandalism investigation is underway at a North Texas park after adhesive flyers promoting a White supremacist organization were reported to authorities. One of the stickers was placed on the utility room door at the park. Stickers were also placed on the doors of the men’s and women’s restrooms.
Stormie Jones Park on Brasher Lane is a cherished place for Adriana Martinez and her family. They moved to Bedford about six years ago, drawn to its welcoming environment.
“Knowing it’s a diverse area — and that’s why I moved over here with my family,” said Adriana Martinez.
Adriana brings all of her kids to the park, which features open green spaces, picnic areas with benches and tables, playground equipment for children of all ages, walking and biking trails, a volleyball court, and a soccer field.
Now, the park is at the center of a police investigation following the discovery of the flyers, which included the white supremacist organization’s website. For Adriana Martinez, seeing this happen at her beloved park was disheartening.
“It’s very unacceptable,” Martinez said. “It’s embarrassing, you know, because when you come out here to this park, all you see is diverse.”
The park is named after Stormie Jones, a child who gained national attention for her courageous fight against a rare medical condition. The park was named through a contest for local school children, and the Parks Board officially dedicated it to her in the early 1990s, with her family present for the ceremony.
A Bedford City Park worker began removing the flyers early Wednesday morning. Using a scraper and a commercial adhesive remover, he worked on two buildings where the stickers had been placed. Two additional flyers were found on a newly installed light pole at the soccer field.
WFAA received a statement from a city spokesperson, which read, “The City of Bedford stands firmly against these messages of hate. The Police Department has been notified and is investigating the incident.”
Park workers noted that removing the flyers is time-consuming and may result in repair costs due to the adhesive backing. City officials are also inspecting Bedford’s eight other parks to ensure that no similar flyers have been placed.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Bedford Police Department.
