Swastikas daubed, anti-Semitic slurs yelled on Connecticut campus over Passover
University president condemns ‘abhorrent conduct’; Hillel campus group says student carrying matzah was verbally attacked, ‘SS’ symbol found in 7th incident this academic year
Police are investigating after a Jewish fraternity at the University of Connecticut reported finding swastikas and a Nazi “SS” symbol graffitied on campus buildings, as well as anti-Semitic insults shouted toward a Jewish student.
One of the swastikas was found “graffitied on the side of the Chemistry Building directly facing the UConn Hillel building,” the Jewish campus organization, Hillel, said in a statement on Instagram. The post did not show images of the graffiti.
A second incident occurred during the Passover holiday when a Jewish student was “holding a kippah and a box of matzah when a student driving past slowed down, rolled down the window, and yelled anti-Semitic comments,” Hillel said.
According to Hillel, the UConn police department is investigating.
University President Thomas Katsouleas said they were aware of the incidents, including “vile anti-Semitic graffiti on a building near Hillel and deeply offensive comments directed at members of the LGBTQ+ community, among others,” the Daily Campus, UConn’s student newspaper, reported.
The president encouraged students who witnessed the incidents to reach out to the university police.
“It is distressing to me that a letter like this one is necessary, but it is absolutely urgent for us to make clear to all of our students, faculty, and staff members that you are vital, valued members of the UConn community. For those who feel distressed or uncertain in the face of incidents of abhorrent conduct, let us be as clear as we can: Hate has no place here,” Katsouleas said.
Shortly after the university statement, another swastika and a Nazi “SS” symbol were reportedly found on a campus building.
According to Hillel, this marks the seventh anti-Semitic incident to occur this academic year.
The Times of Israel Community.