Emory Jewish fraternity house vandalized, tagged with swastikas following Yom Kippur

One of Emory University’s Jewish fraternities was tagged with anti-Semitic graffiti hours after Yom Kippur ended this weekend.

Emory University police are searching for vandals who spray-painted swastikas and other offensive graffiti on the fraternity house belonging to Alpha Epsilon Pi, a nationally-recognized Jewish college fraternity with more than 150 chapters. The incident, first reported to Emory authorities on early Sunday morning, reportedly happened after the Jewish religious holiday ended on Saturday evening.

Business Insider education reporter Peter Jacobs, who says his younger brother is a member of AEPi, yesterday tweeted a photo of the house’s exterior:

Swastikas were painted on a Jewish frat house at Emory hours after Yom Kippur http://t.co/oWIewmf79j pic.twitter.com/aHU2PMsypJ
— Peter Jacobs (@peterajacobs) October 5, 2014

Emory University President James Wagner quickly denounced the offensive graffiti as “an attack against everything for which Emory stands.” He pledged to raise awareness about anti-Semitic discrimination and ensure the university remained an “inclusive, open, respectful” campus.

“On behalf of our community, I denounce this abhorrent act,” Wagner said in a statement. “It is an offense against a Jewish fraternity and the Jewish members of our community, and it is a repugnant, flagrant emblem of anti-Semitism. It is also an offense against the entire university.”

The AEPi incident marks the second case of anti-Semitic vandalism on Emory’s campus in the last month. On Sept. 10, Emory Police officers were notified of swastikas drawn on the eighth floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

EPD said in a statement that its officers have increased patrols near the AEPi house and will continue to investigate the incident. Anyone with information about the people responsible for the graffiti are encouraged to contact Emory Police at 404-727-6111.