A swastika was found drawn Friday inside a social space for Jewish students at Loyola University Chicago.
The vandalism in the Hillel Social Room inside the Damen Student Center was reported by students Friday morning. The university then sent a campus safety alert to students and shared more details later in the day about what it called a “heinous” incident.
“Let me be clear, Loyola University Chicago condemns this hateful act of antisemitism and discrimination absolutely and unequivocally,” Vice President for Student Development Keith Champagne said in a statement to students.
The latest finding follows other “obscene items” found drawn in the room earlier this week, the university said.
“Hillel at Loyola is outraged by the repeated acts of vandalism committed inside the Jewish Life space on campus,” Metro Chicago Hillel at Loyola said in a statement. “This is a violation of the security of our community and comes at a time when Jewish students already feel unsafe to express their identity on campus.”
The university’s Office for Equity and Compliance is investigating the incident.
“It is incumbent upon all of us as a community to stand clearly and strongly against antisemitism. We are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that our Jewish community feels safe and supported on our campus,” Champagne said.
Students are encouraged to connect with the university’s CURA Network, led by staff members available to support students in distress and are available to meet either in person or remotely.
Hate crime reports have shot up across Chicago the past two years, with 204 in 2022 and 302 in 2023 after previous years hovered around 100, according to police data. Anti-Jewish hate crimes had the second-most reports last year, behind anti-Black hate crimes.
