Detectives with the Montgomery County Department of Police are investigating a hate or bias incident involving graffiti at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda and are seeking the public’s help.
Police said graffiti with anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian language was spray-painted on the exterior of the school building and discovered on Friday, January 16, 2026.
Authorities said surveillance video shows several suspects running away from the school toward the football field around 2:31 am, but no suspect descriptions are available. The Victims’ Rights Foundation is offering a $2,000 reward, and the Muslim Public Affairs Council’s First Amendment Center is offering an additional $3,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and prosecution. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, with tips eligible for additional rewards and able to be submitted anonymously.
