Tea Lights Swastika Shocks Saint Louis University Students
A swastika made of tea lights was found outside a Saint Louis University dormitory.
The candles were spotted in the wee hours of April 23, according to police. Some students had reported seeing the candles before they were arranged into the shape of a swastika, according to a report in the Riverfront Times.
Police have no suspects on who rearranged the candles to resemble the Nazi insignia.
“It was really horrifying to see a burning swastika outside the building that I live in and realize that this is something that happens on my campus, in my home,” sophomore Sarah Nash told the Riverfront Times. “We wanted to get to the bottom of it so whoever did it would be talked to, would know it’s wrong.”
A statement from the university called such acts of intolerance unacceptable.
“A full investigation into this incident is being conducted by our Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards in conjunction with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, as well as the Department of Public Safety,” the university said. “At SLU, we’re committed to providing a caring, effective and uniform response to anyone who is affected by a bias incident.”
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
