Police investigating swastikas at Massachusetts college

Police are investigating a series of hate crimes at Curry College in Massachusetts after the university found 20 swastikas graffitied across the campus last week.

Campus police and a local police department are investigating five incidents at Curry College in Milton, a town about 10 miles outside of Boston. The hate symbols were found from Jan. 27 to Jan. 30, the university said in a statement to The Hill.

President Kenneth Quigley confirmed the college found 20 swastikas and one other racist symbol, CBS Boston reported on Tuesday.

“These disgusting acts of antisemitism and racism will not be tolerated on our campus,” Quigley said in a video address reviewed by the news outlet.

Hate crimes are on the rise in the U.S., with the Department of Education reporting just 44 incidents in 2005 compared to more than 1,800 in 2019. Most recently, a series of bomb threats have been reported multiple times at historically Black colleges and universities.

The first incident, at Curry College, occurred on Jan. 27 as the world recognized International Holocaust Remembrance Day. According to the university, a residence hall laundry room was “defaced with discriminatory and hateful language and swastika symbols.”

Throughout the rest of the weekend, the college received reports of more incidents at four additional residences and public spaces on campus.

James O’Neil, the Milton Police Department’s deputy chief, told The Boston Globe police were looking at either an individual actor or a group and “haven’t ruled anything in or out” in the ongoing investigation.

The university said in its statement that it would not tolerate hate crimes.

“Our support and care go out to everyone in our community, but particularly to our fellow Jewish and Black community members affected by this act,” the university said in a statement. “The College has both clear policies against hostile or hateful speech and a full commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and diverse campus.

“These acts are contrary to all that Curry, its students, and faculty and staff stand for, and will not be tolerated,” the college added.