Hateful graffiti — including swastika — found scrawled on wall inside NYU library: cops
Hateful graffiti was discovered inside an NYU library in downtown Brooklyn this week, sparking outrage and condemnation from campus officials and law enforcement. The disturbing messages, including a swastika and derogatory statements targeting various ethnic groups, were found scrawled on the wall of the Bern Dibner Library at 4 MetroTech Center.
The graffiti, which included phrases like “F–k Jews” and “F–k Indians,” was reported to police by a 53-year-old woman on Wednesday morning. In addition to anti-Semitic and anti-Indian remarks, the vile scribblings also contained anti-black messages, further fueling concerns about hate speech and discrimination on campus.
Fountain Walker, vice president for global campus safety at NYU, swiftly denounced the graffiti and confirmed that the NYPD had classified the incident as a hate crime. In a statement to the university’s student paper, Washington Square News, Walker expressed his dismay over the offensive messages and emphasized that such behavior would not be tolerated at NYU.
“The abhorrent graffiti included hateful rhetoric directed at Blacks, hateful rhetoric directed at Indians and hateful antisemitic rhetoric,” Walker stated. He assured the community that the university’s Department of Campus Safety, in collaboration with the Title VI coordinator, was actively investigating the incident to identify those responsible.
Walker also made it clear that the perpetrators would face severe consequences for their actions, with NYU prepared to enforce the full extent of disciplinary measures available to address the hate crime. The university is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, and staff, and acts of bigotry and intolerance will not be tolerated on campus.
As the investigation into the hateful graffiti continues, NYU is urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist in holding the responsible individuals accountable. The university remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and mutual respect within the campus community, and will take decisive action to address any acts of hate or discrimination that threaten this commitment.
