A nine-square-foot swastika was discovered in Copley Hall Thursday night. Resident Assistant Helen Root (CAS ‘05) was alerted to the presence of the symbol, drawn with a marker in the staircase closest to Red Square, by a distressed fifth-floor Copley resident.
“We don’t know how long it was there. It was painted in the part that goes up to the attic, so you really had to look in that direction to notice it,” Root said.
About 15 Copley residents gathered Wednesday evening to reflect on the incident.
Vice President for Public Affairs and Strategic Development Daniel Porterfield, who lives in Copley, termed the illustration of the swastika a violation of Georgetown’s code of conduct.
“The swastika is a symbol of a willful systematic effort to exterminate groups of people, including Jewish people, and also gypsies, gays and lesbians, along with many Poles and Catholics,” Porterfield said. “If we find the person who is responsible, they will be sanctioned for it.”
Copley Hall Director Dmitry Vouchuk said that he intends to work with Copley residents to try to find the individual responsible.
“I would be happy to work with someone on a confidential basis, whether that means slipping a note underneath my door or coming to talk to me in person,” he said.
The Department of Public Safety was notified about the incident and a report was filed.
