Swastika and note with gay slur found outside building at Virginia college
Incident was reported to FBI and local law enforcement, which was investigating other suspected hate crimes
A handwritten swastika and a note containing a gay slur were found posted outside of a building on the campus of a Fredericksburg-area college on Feb. 4, reports Washington, D.C.’s ABC affiliate WJLA.
The note was found outside Lee Hall on the campus of the University of Mary Washington by a concerned undergraduate student, who posted the note to the school’s Facebook page the next day, an open letter from the university’s vice president of student affairs confirms.
The note read: “Attention Faggots!! We could live next door.”
According to the university’s letter, which was also posted on social media, campus police launched an investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and also notified Fredericksburg Police, who had been investigating similar incidents in the area that were thought to be hate crimes, of what transpired.
On Feb. 6, UMW police and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker met with the student who reported the incident. The university’s threat assessment team also met to discuss the event, vowing to hold those responsible for this and similar incidents to account for their actions.
Students who have information about the note, or any other incidents of hate crimes or hate speech, are encouraged to contact campus police at 540-654-1025. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Rave Guardian, a campus safety app, or the Silent Witness program, which allows students to provide crucial information on crimes that occur on campus.
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.