Two freshmen at Northwestern University near Chicago have been charged with a hate crime after spray-painting racist and homophobic messages inside a campus chapel.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Anthony Morales, 19, and Matthew Kafker, 18, were charged on Saturday with felony vandalism, hate crime to a place of worship, and criminal damage to property for writing several offensive messages, as well as Donald Trump’s name, on the walls, offices, and the organ of the Alice Millar Chapel last Thursday.
The graffiti included a swastika, drawings of penises, and other racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic remarks. It was discovered early Friday morning by University Chaplain Timothy Stevens, just hours before the university was set to host an event at the chapel.
“It was just kind of like ‘oh my goodness, this is really hideous,'” he told the Daily Northwestern. “My first thought was I need to report this and we need to get it removed.”
Following a review of the surveillance video, Morales and Kafker were arrested on Friday afternoon with bail set to $50,000. They were released on Saturday after posting bond.
“Northwestern is committed to creating a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all of our students, faculty, and staff,” said University President Morton Schapiro in a statement. “This disgusting act of hatred violates the deepest values and core commitments of our university and is an affront to us all.”
The two students have also been placed on interim suspension, barring them from campus.