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Police, Campus Respond to Anti-Semitic Graffiti Found in MU Residence Hall

Columns at University of Missouri
Adam Procter
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If UM Curators approve the increases, tuition could spike as much as 7.5 percent at the Columbia campus.

MU Police are still investigating two cases of anti-Semitic graffiti in Mark Twain residence hall.

Captain Scott Richardson of MU Police said the department is still investigating both cases and have not identified any suspects.  Police found the first signs of graffiti last Thursday and then found it again Friday.

Chantelle Moghadan, the co-founder of Students Supporting Israel, a student group at MU, said the first signs of graffiti included a swastika, an “Illuminati” symbol, and the word “Heil” written in ash or charcoal.  The second case of graffiti included a swastika with the words, “You’ve been warned.” 

Moghadan said she is upset by the incidents but is hoping it will serve as a teaching moment for others.

“Hopefully, people will come to realize that this behavior is not acceptable, and regardless of its intent it does have a big effect on a lot of students on our campus,” Moghadan said.

The acts have not only caused student groups to react, but also groups outside of Columbia.  Karen Aroesty, the Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League for Missouri and southern Illinois, said her department is waiting to get all the facts on the case before classifying it as a hate crime.

“The intent behind it just isn’t known yet, so if people can have patience and still kind of have the learning opportunity, talk about the nature of how everybody can work together to make campus a safer place, that’s all good,” Aroesty said.

Aroesty said the ADL doesn’t consider symbols like a swastika or the word “Heil” hateful unless it is clear that they were directed at an individual or a specific group.

MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin said in a statement, “I want to make it clear that these acts are deplorable and unworthy of this institution and its values.” He said that officials are taking precautionary measures, such as hanging flyers in the residence hall alerting residents and providing information on how to report incidents like this.

Moghadan said she doesn’t know if the acts came in relation to this week being Holocaust Remembrance Week.  Thursday marks Holocaust Remembrance Day recognized by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.