Anti-Semitic graffiti found in Quadrangle for fifth time

Yesterday morning marked the fifth time anti-Semitic vandalism appeared in Community House in the past six weeks. Nursing freshman Bonnie Sherman found a paper swastika taped to a fire door on the first floor of Cleemann, a section of the Quadrangle dormitory, at approximately 12:30 p.m. yesterday. This was the second time this weekend that a swastika was taped on the door. Sherman's roommate, College freshman Jennifer Burke, found a swastika in the same place Friday morning. Another swastika, taking the same form as the two which appeared this weekend, was discovered by Sherman less than two weeks ago. Each was fairly small, "perfectly" constructed from graph paper, neatly cut and fastened with duct tape on the same fire door, Sherman said yesterday. Sherman said a sign appeared on the door six weeks ago which said in neatly printed block letters, "The Jewish God Eats Human Shit." The same sign appeared again a week later, two weeks before the first swastika was found. Though University Police were not called after the first two incidents, Sherman did go to Assistant Director of Residence for Community House Judith Hillard when the second sign was discovered. Hillard told her to call the police if it happened again. The three incidents which followed were reported. Sherman said the floor's residential advisor, graduate student Michelle Friel, "didn't want me to go to the DP or publicize [what happened] at all." "She said it would just inspire them to do it again," Sherman said. "I don't understand the rationale behind that at all." Penn Hillel Director Jeremy Brochin said it was "irresponsible" not to tell University officials or himself. "People should have known about it," he added. Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said her department would "not try to stop students from discussing incidents like these publically." And officials said the first two incidents should have been reported to University Police. "Clearly, when anything happens that is disturbing or disrupting to the community, the facts of the incident should be documented with Public Safety," University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said last night. "The more we know what is going on, what trends are occurring or if it's a continuing act, the more our attention can be brought to it." Simeone voiced similar sentiments. "Our policy would be to report that kind of incident to the police," she said. "It's important that we are able to document and keep track of incidents of this kind so we know how many times and how they occurred." Neither the police department nor the students themselves have any leads on who the perpetrators may be. The first two swastikas were removed with tweezers, placed in plastic bags and given to the officer on the scene in the hopes of finding fingerprints, Sherman said. But University Police decided that the matching technique would not be useful since the department could not fingerprint every Quad resident, she added. "The community [should work] together to quell these kinds of incidents," Kuprevich said. "The students have to let others know that they do not appreciate these incidents and they have to be on the watch," he added. Kuprevich also said University Police will work with Victim Support Services and Residential Living to help the victims and find the perpetrators. "I am going to work with some people to do some kind of presentation for the students," said Interim Director of Victim Support Barbara Cassel, adding that University Counseling will help students incensed by the vandalism. "We have to pull a team of people together to strategize on how to respond best since there have been so many incidents," she added. And Brochin said the University is obligated to "educate people in knowing the power of these symbols to the students on the floor, and to all Jewish students." Hillard and Friel were unavailable for comment.