FARMINGTON — Police are investigating the vandalism of an LDS chapel here as a possible hate crime.
Someone spray painted the phrase "Nobody's born a biggot (sic)" on a concrete wall outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' chapel at 1420 S. 200 East. A smiley face and a heart accompanied the graffiti, police said.
The vandalism was reported to police on Wednesday, said Farmington Police Chief Wayne Hansen.
"We don't have any suspects or anything to follow up with," he said Thursday.
Police are investigating it as a hate crime. Officers also believe it may be tied to the LDS Church's heavy backing of the controversial Proposition 8 in California, which banned same-sex marriage.
"That would be the natural assumption based on what it states," Hansen said. "Whether it's somebody involved in that or kids just thinking they're funny, who knows?"
The LDS Church has seen a backlash over its efforts to get Proposition 8 passed. Protests have been held outside temples in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and New York City. The FBI is investigating a series of envelopes mailed to the temples in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles containing a white powdery substance, later deemed to be harmless.
In Layton and in parts of Weber County, churches have been vandalized, but police said they did not have any evidence that led investigators to believe those were linked to the Proposition 8 controversy.
Gay rights groups have decried the vandalism and the threats, calling the actions "deplorable."
Farmington police said damage to the LDS chapel was estimated at $400 and was quickly cleaned up.
E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com