Swastika found near Lewis Library

A swastika was drawn on “The Hedgehog and the Fox” sculpture by Lewis Library on Sep. 8, two days before Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, according to Paul Ominsky, the executive director of Public Safety. Following a response from the Department of Public Safety, the University Art Museum arranged for the drawing to be removed.

Drawn with a white waxy substance, the swastika was approximately 18 inches by 18 inches, according to Ominsky. No suspects have been found.

“The safety and security of the campus are important and a priority for the Department of Public Safety,” said Ominsky. “It is also a partnership between the community and DPS. We rely on members of the community to participate by reporting incidents, including suspicious activities.”

The Center for Jewish Life and the art museum have not responded to requests for comment.

This was not the first time a swastika was found on the statue. In 2015 and in Jan. 2017, swastikas had been drawn and removed from the statue. Also, last April, anti-semitic flyers were found around campus. The flyers were removed after a complaint was made to the University, but not before being found taped to Stanhope Hall, the Center for Jewish Life, the door of Murray-Dodge Hall, and East Pyne Hall. In 2016, a hacker and the Daily Stormer, a white supremacist website, claimed responsibility for the attack.