‘Holocaust’ graffiti at Abbey

Two men walked into the Battle Abbey cafe on Monday afternoon with a homemade stencil.

One man placed the stencil over text on the wall while the other man proceeded to spray red paint over it.

The graffiti read ‘Holocaust which still affects the English today’ - referring to the Battle of Hastings.

The two men then fled, heading in opposite directions.

Battle Police were called to the scene just after 4.45pm.

A short time later, officers arrested a man in Mountjoy, whose hands were found to be covered in red paint.

The man was questioned by police and admitted the offence.

The man, who hails from Poole in Dorset, had no previous convictions.

He received a caution from Sussex Police.

The second vandal has yet to be caught.

English Heritage says work is underway to remove the graffiti from the history display.

A spokesperson for English Heritage said: “Unfortunately, a group of people came to Battle Abbey and sprayed the walls of the cafe with graffiti at around 4pm on Monday October 14.

“English Heritage staff called the police who arrested one of them.

“We have covered the graffiti and are urgently investigating the best way to remove it from the wall which is part of our display about the history of the site.

“We are helping the police with their investigations.”