Cal Poly Jewish Fraternity House Vandalized With Anti-Semitic Graffiti
SAN LUIS OBISPO (CBS SF) – An investigation is underway after members of a Jewish student fraternity at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo found anti-Semitic graffiti and swastikas spray painted on their home over the weekend.
According to a letter to the campus community from top university officials, the vandalism took place in front of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning, during the Shabbat.
The incident was reported to San Luis Obispo police, who are investigating.
"Let us be perfectly clear: behavior that promotes any form of hate and seeks to make members of our community feel unsafe and unwelcome – especially in their own home – has absolutely no place in our community," the letter said. The joint statement was signed by school president Jeffrey Armstrong, vice president for student affairs Keith Humphrey and Denise Isom, the school's interim vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer.
Officials said they met with representatives of Jewish student organizations and community leaders. Meanwhile, residents have begun to clear and repair damage from the attack.
"While the visible scars may fade away, the emotional scars will last much longer," school officials went on to say.
The fraternity chapter posted a statement on Instagram, which said in part, "This was targeted at us, as the Jewish fraternity, and we would like to let the world know we do not tolerate or condone this behavior. Our chapter and the entire San Luis Obispo Jewish community stand together proudly against those who are uneducated and who encourage hateful acts."