Swastikas (illustration)
Swastikas (illustration)Flash 90

The fraternity house of the Stanford University chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter was vandalized last weekend with swastikas, as well as various other anti-Semitic slurs and epithets. 

Members of the fraternity discovered the graffiti as they returned to the house on Saturday night, the California university's Stanford Daily reported. 

“We discovered a number of offensive symbols and messages spray-painted on the SAE house,” the president of Stanford’s SAE chapter said, declining to give his name so as not to be associated with "such hateful symbolism."

Also condemning the anti-Semitic graffiti was University President John Hennessy. 

“I am deeply troubled by the act of vandalism, including symbols of hate, that has marred our campus. The University will not tolerate hate crimes and this incident will be fully investigated, both by campus police and by the University under our Acts of Intolerance Protocol. This level of incivility has no place at Stanford," Hennessy told The Daily.

“I ask everyone in the University community to stand together against intolerance and hate, and to affirm our commitment to a campus community where discourse is civil, where we value differences and where every individual is respected,” he added.

While dismayed by the anti-Semitic display, the President of the Stanford Israel Association, Liana Kadisha, suggested it was related to a greater pattern of anti-Israel activity on campus. 

“I don’t want to speculate to the cause of the vandalism, but after divestment, there has been a rise in hostility towards Jewish communities." In addition, many student groups have begun refusing to co-sponsor events her club, she said. 

This incident comes less than two weeks after allegations surfaced that a student coalition at the university asked a Jewish candidate in the student government election whether her Jewish identity would impact her vote on divesting from Israel.