Jewish Fraternity House at Emory University Defaced With Swastikas

Although the swastikas that were spray painted on a Jewish fraternity’s house at Emory University were painted over hours after they first appeared, the hurt and outrage the symbols of hate have caused will linger for some time.

The graffiti was sprayed onto the house of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, a historically Jewish organization, WSB-TV reports. Adding insult to injury, the incident occurred just hours after the celebrations of Yom Kippur, the Jewish new year, had ended.

University officials and students universally denounced the incident; Emory University President James Wagner said in a statement that, “[i]t 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.”

Members of the fraternity planned to wear their letters and pro-Israeli clothing in a show of solidarity against the vandals.

Emory police are investigating the incident, and have stepped up patrols in the immediate area.