Montgomery County police are investigating antisemitic and racist graffiti found on the grounds of an elementary school in Bethesda's 6300 block of Lone Oak Drive.

The graffiti appeared on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, between 7:30 a.m. and 9:48 a.m., according to the MoCo Show, which published the Montgomery County Police Department's (MCPD) crime summary. Someone reported the vandalism to police on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

MCPD classified the incident as a hate/bias event.

The department has not announced any arrests or identified suspects.

Ashburton Elementary School, a Montgomery County Public Schools campus, is located at 6314 Lone Oak Drive and is the only school in that block. MCPD's crime summary did not name the school.

The specific content of the graffiti has not been described publicly, and neither MCPS nor the school's administration has issued a statement.

The graffiti marks the second hate-motivated vandalism case at a Bethesda elementary school in 2026. In April, police arrested a 16-year-old in connection with antisemitic graffiti at Bradley Hills Elementary School that referenced a school shooter, WTOP reported. The teen faced charges including second-degree arson, malicious destruction of property and threats of mass violence.

County Executive Marc Elrich said in an April 2026 statement that the Bradley Hills incidents had "unsettled the community, causing fear and anxiety for families with kids who attend the school, staff members who work there, and neighbors."

How to report

MCPD's Community Engagement Division monitors and tracks all hate/bias events in Montgomery County. Residents who witness or experience a hate/bias incident can call the non-emergency line at 240-777-0311.