Two University of Toronto building signs and an on-campus bus shelter were defaced with drawings of the swastika symbol over the weekend in an act of vandalism.
The first marking was found on Medical Sciences Building signage at 1 King’s College Circle on Friday.
A student passerby noticed the graffiti on Friday afternoon and brought it to the attention of Hillel U of T, a Jewish campus organization. The group immediately reported the incident to campus security, after which the marking was promptly removed by university staff.
Rob Nagus, Director of Hillel U of T, told The Varsity that the organization was “pleased that the university responded quickly and removed the graffiti.”
The organization also posted a photograph of the graffiti to their Facebook page, assuring students that they would be “monitoring the situation and working with administration to ensure that the University of Toronto is a safe campus for all students.”
The swastika symbol is commonly associated with the atrocities committed by the Nazi Party, anti-Semitism, and racism.
University spokeswoman Althea Blackburn-Evans confirmed that the first marking was removed soon after it had been reported.
Blackburns-Evans added that the university’s Campus Police had filed a report with the Toronto Police and that an active investigation is underway, although “there are no leads or witnesses at this time.”
A second swastika symbol appeared on a bus shelter near the southwest corner of St. George Street and Harbord Street later on Friday; it has since been removed.
In addition, on Saturday evening, a third symbol was discovered on a signboard outside the Department of Sociology building at 725
Spadina Avenue.
It is unknown if the three incidents are connected. Nagus told The Varsity that these incidents were reported as well.
At press time, the graffiti at the Department of Sociology building was still present.
