LINCOLN, Ala. (AP) — Police are investigating after someone painted racial slurs on a park building in central Alabama and claimed a county commissioner said it.

Lincoln police on Friday asked people with information about what happened at Richard George’s Ball Park to contact them.

George, an African-American man who owns the private park that he lets the community use, says the message in bright red paint appeared before dawn Friday on a building at the baseball field.

Talladega County Commissioner Jackie Swinford’s name was added to the bottom of the message, attributing the quote to him. Swinford, who is white, denies saying what was painted.

“This is somebody that’s angry. Angry at me, and if they have something to say to me, come tell me. Don’t be a coward. Come look me in the eye and tell me what the problem is,” Swinford told WIAT-TV.

Swinford and George say they’ve been friends for almost 15 years.

The graffiti was painted over on Friday.

(Associated Press, copyright 2020)

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