Offensive graffiti — including swastikas — was found early Sunday morning on the Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter house at Emory University, the university confirmed to Business Insider Sunday.
AEPi is a national traditionally Jewish fraternity, and the swastikas and other graffiti were spray-painted on the house shortly after the end of Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days in Judaism. The Emory campus police are investigating the offensive graffiti and have increased patrols around the area of the fraternity house, according to the university.
Below is an image of the graffiti that is being passed around social media [the person pictured is a member of the fraternity]:
Emory University Fraternity House AEPi Swastikas@AtlantaSmiles/TwitterSwastikas were found outside the traditionally Jewish AEPi fraternity at Emory University this weekend.
Swastikas were also found at the main campus library last month, according to a crime report published by student newspaper The Emory Wheel. It is not immediately clear if the two instances are related.
An Emory spokesperson provided Business Insider with the following statement on the swastikas and other graffiti found outside AEPi this weekend:
The Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity house at Emory University was the target of crude, offensive graffiti, including swastikas, early Sunday morning, Oct. 5. AEPi is an historically Jewish fraternity and the incident occurred shortly after the end of Yom Kippur on Saturday, one of the Jewish highest holidays.
This abhorrent act will not be tolerated and does not reflect the values of the Emory University community.
Emory Police officers are actively investigating the incident and have increased patrols to the area. Campus Life officials are meeting with student leaders to provide support and determine next steps for response.
The following statement was provided to Business Insider on behalf of the Emory AEPi brotherhood:
We are outraged at the insensitive display of prejudice that occurred at the Alpha Epsilon Pi house at Emory University. We are working alongside Emory to ensure that intolerable acts of hate, such as this, will never occur again. We are thankful for the community around us that has shown tremendous support throughout this time.
Emory president James Wagner sent the following email to the Emory community late Sunday night:
To the Emory Community:
It saddens me to report that the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, an historically Jewish fraternity here at Emory, was the target of crude, offensive graffiti, including swastikas, early Sunday morning, October 5, shortly after the end of the observance of Yom Kippur.
On behalf of our community, I denounce this abhorrent act. It is an offense against a Jewish fraternity and the Jewish members of our community, and it is a repugnant, flagrant emblem of anti-Semitism. It is also an offense against the entire university. Among the many pernicious things the swastika symbolizes, in the last century it represented the most egregious and determined undermining of intellectual freedom and truth-seeking. In short, its appearance on our campus is an attack against everything for which Emory stands.
Emory University will not tolerate such acts. Instead we must together pledge Emory University’s continuing commitment to raise awareness and prevent all forms of violence and discrimination; to foster openness and diversity of thought, experience, spirituality, and culture; and to seek positive transformation in our community and the world. We all have a responsibility to uphold the principles we hold dear as an academic community, and to create a community that is inclusive, open, respectful, and welcoming to all.
Emory Police officers are actively investigating the incident and have increased patrols to the area. If you have any information about the individuals who may have perpetrated these acts, please contact the Emory Police at 404-727-6111.
Sincerely,
Jim Wagner
President
[Note: Business Insider education reporter Peter Jacobs' younger brother is a current member of Emory's AEPi chapter]