Swastika painted on carpet of UO group's office
EUGENE, Ore. -- Vandals painted a large black swastika on the carpet of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Alliance office at the University of Oregon over the weekend.
A custodian discovered the damage to the carpet, along with two computer monitors painted black, at the office in the Erb Memorial Union Monday morning.
The carpet has now been removed and replaced with a sign of support from other student groups.
"To know someone came in here and threatened the safety of our space and our students here, that's frightening to me, and disheartening," said Kelsey Jarone, LGBTQA outreach coordinator.
UO President Richard Lariviere sent a letter to students denouncing the vandalism.
"When one group is targeted, it threatens all of us and must be addressed directly and swiftly," he wrote.
Jarone said student leaders believe the attack is somehow connected to an effort to ban the Pacifica Forum from meeting on the campus of the UO, although police have not named any suspects.
The student senate voted last week to allow the group meet on campus.
