Portland police said today they are looking for the person or people responsible for spraying several swastikas on downtown buildings in recent weeks.

The symbols have been spotted on rear walls of the former Portland Public Market building on Cumberland Avenue and the Masonic Building on Congress Street.

Stephen Wessler, executive director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence, said he will be contacting the buildings' owners to ask them to remove the swastikas.

"It's important that all of us take note and be concerned and respond in a proportionate way," Wessler said. "We need to make sure that the people responsible understand that these acts of hate are not tolerated."