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Twin Cities
Matt Sepic

Hmong Cultural Center Museum hit with white supremacist vandalism

Hmong Cultural Center Museum defaced in white spray paint
The front of the building, defaced.
Courtesy of the Hmong Cultural Center Museum

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Police are investigating after vandals damaged the front of the Hmong Cultural Center Museum in St. Paul early Wednesday morning and spray-painted a slogan associated with a white supremacist group.

The museum recently expanded its exhibits on Hmong culture, history and contributions to the United States. It was about to hold a grand opening.

But program director Mark Pfeifer says vandals hit the University Avenue storefront with white paint and covered over anti-racist poetry written on plywood protecting the windows.

vandals spray paint the side of a building
Security footage from the Hmong Cultural Center Museum shows the vandals spray painting the building.
Courtesy of the Hmong Cultural Center Museum

“I think we're going to have to get a new sign for our museum, so that's $800 maybe. And there was some damage to the lock, too,” Pfeifer said.

The vandals also left a stencil reading “life, liberty, victory” — a slogan connected to the fascist group Patriot Front.

a white supremacist slogan spray painted on a building
The white supremacist slogan "life, liberty, victory" left on the building.
Courtesy of the Hmong Cultural Center Museum

Pfeifer says security video shows three people getting out of a vehicle and vandalizing the building at around 3:40 a.m. They also damaged neighboring Hmong businesses.

“They came in one car together, and they all came out at the same time and started spraying, and it lasted a couple of minutes, but they did a lot,” Pfeifer said. “It's a big mess.”