Swastikas found at Stanford for second time in a month

Swastikas were discovered last weekend at Stanford University for the second time in less than a month.

“Several” swastikas were found on the buildings of the university graduate housing, known as Escondido Village, The Stanford Daily reported.

The Stanford University Department of Public Safety has been working on the case in cooperation with the Palo Alto police but has not yet named any suspects, the student daily newspaper reported.

At the end of December, during the university’s winter break, swastikas with inverted arms were drawn on campus buildings and on buildings in Palo Alto, where the university is located, accompanied by phrases such as “No Jews allowed,” The Mercury News reported earlier this month.

“The symbols are not technically swastikas,” Stanford Police Chief Laura Wilson said in a statement issued in early January. “However, due to the similarity of the symbols to a swastika and the perception by witnesses that the symbols were intended to represent an object commonly associated with hate-based violence, the police are investigating the vandalism as a possible hate crime.”

Last week, printers in offices around the Stanford campus produced antisemitic fliers in a suspected hacking attempt. It is not believed to be related to the swastika incidents.

As part of comments on “immigration issues” at a January 26 Faculty Senate meeting, Stanford president Marc Tessier-Lavigne addressed the issue.

“I can say that in addition to our Jewish community, we know that other communities within Stanford are feeling very concerned and vulnerable,” Tessier-Lavigne said.

“This is a time where we need to again reaffirm our values. We value free expression, but acts of hate are unacceptable here. All members of our community belong here at Stanford, and we are here to support them,” he added. “We will continue to monitor this very closely, of course.” (JTA)