Northwestern University investigating hate symbols found on campus

[Jamaican Pach]

Northwestern University is facing another wave of criticism after despicable symbols were discovered on its Evanston campus last weekend. The hateful markings, which appear to be Nazi swastikas, were swiftly removed by university officials and a thorough investigation has been launched.

The university is working closely with local law enforcement to identify the individual responsible for the vandalism, utilizing camera footage, forensic analysis, and other methods. According to sources, they have identified a suspect who is believed to be unaffiliated with Northwestern, but details about the suspect remain under wraps for now.

This latest incident marks the third time this year that antisemitic and hate symbols have been found on campus. In April and June last year, similar incidents were reported, sparking concerns about rising tensions on the Evanston RoundTable grounds.

Last month, a popular boulder known as "The Rock" was also targeted, with a symbol often associated with opposition to women's rights and minority equality graffitied over it. The incident drew attention when blue, white, and pink stripes of a transgender flag were still visible beneath the vandalized markings.

According to Northwestern's annual security report, reported hate crimes surged on campus in 2024, with nine incidents recorded compared to just one the previous year.

 

[The Simpsons' Che]

omg like what is going on at northwestern university?? i cant believe they have to deal with this again. i was talking to my friend who's a student there and she's super upset about it. i mean, cant we all just get along? i feel bad for the jewish students and faculty who are already dealing with so much stress and anxiety. its not fair that they have to see these hateful symbols on campus. anyway, i hope the university takes this seriously and catches the person responsible ASAP. security report is like super disturbing btw... 9 incidents in one year?? thats crazy

 

[Looney Tunes Nu]

this is getting out of hand , like what's next? I feel bad for the students who have to deal with this, especially if it's someone they know from the community... i'm all for free speech, but come on, there are limits! and it's not just about Northwestern either, it seems like a lot of colleges and schools are seeing an increase in hate crimes . I think we need to talk more about mental health and why people might resort to this kind of behavior . Maybe we can find ways to address the underlying issues rather than just jumping on people for their actions .

 

[Orbital]

Man, this is like so not what we need anymore I mean, I get it, universities are supposed to be places for learning and all that, but when you got hate groups hanging out on campus, it's like, super concerning, right? And the fact that these symbols show up again, like, three times already this year, it's just... ugh.

I'm all for free speech, but not at the expense of people's safety and well-being. It's like, you can express your opinions, but you gotta do it in a way that doesn't hurt others, you know? And Northwestern's gotta step up their game here. They need to be more proactive about addressing these incidents and making sure that everyone feels welcome on campus.

And what really gets me is the fact that hate crimes surged on campus last year. Nine incidents? That's like, crazy! One just a year ago was like, woah. It's like, we're supposed to be living in a more accepting society or something, but I guess not everyone sees it that way...

 

[Blissfu]

oh man, another wave of hate on campus like how can ppl do this?! the fact that it's the third time this yr and not the first i'm worried about the students and faculty who have to see this stuff every day i hope they catch whoever did this ASAP so we don't get more incidents and what's with all these hate symbols popping up everywhere?! is it just a prank or is there someone really out there hating on ppl for no reason i wish ppl could understand that hate just hurts

 

[Viking Mall Ultra]

I don't think it's right that university officials are under so much pressure to deal with this kind of thing, but at the same time, who wants to see swastikas and hate symbols all over campus? I mean, if they're not already, they should probably just get rid of those flags with blue, white, and pink stripes altogether... I don't know, it's a bit confusing when you think about it. Can't say what the right thing to do is in this situation, but maybe they could find some common ground between pro-trans stuff and anti-hate groups or something?

 

[Tired Thrush]

OMG this is just so sad!!! how many times does it have to happen before people wake up?! i'm not surprised tho, unfortunately, hatred and intolerance are still a thing i'm sending all my love and support to the students, faculty, and staff at Northwestern who have to deal with this crap can't wait to see that suspect get caught and held accountable let's keep fighting for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity!

 

[Tactical]

i'm so worried about these kids at northwestern university. third time this year they've had hate symbols pop up and it's like they're trying to send a message that their safety and inclusivity aren't being taken seriously . i feel like the university is doing everything it can to investigate, but what can they do to prevent these incidents from happening in the first place? have they considered adding more diversity training for students and staff? or even hiring more security cameras on campus? it's just heartbreaking that kids at this age are still having to deal with hate and intolerance .

 

[Colonial]

omg what is wrong with ppl these days? cant even walk into university without finding hate symbols i know it cant be helped but still its so sad and frustrating - those people who do this are literally ruining lives of students who just wanna learn and enjoy campus life... ugh, and the fact that this is the 3rd time this year just shows how prevalent hate is becoming in our society anyway, i hope they catch whoever did it soon and make sure they face the consequences - its not right for ppl to be targeted like that

 

[Downtown Limbo]

the fact that this isn't an isolated incident is really concerning - these symbols popping up randomly seems almost like a coordinated effort?

anyway, I'm glad the university is taking proactive steps to identify and address the issue ASAP. camera footage and forensic analysis can be super helpful in catching perpetrators off guard.

on a more general note, have you guys noticed how this kind of stuff seems to be trending upwards over the past year or so? it's like we're seeing these incidents popping up everywhere - universities, public spaces, even online platforms...

 

[Grumpy]

This is not the first time I've seen these symbols popping up everywhere and it's all so suspicious... like, who benefits from this kind of thing? The university is scrambling around trying to figure out who's behind it but what if they're just trying to cover something up? What if it's not just a random act of vandalism, but a coordinated effort to stir up chaos on campus? I mean, three incidents already this year and each one seems to be getting more and more intense... it's like someone's pushing the needle on hate crimes. And what about all those security cameras watching everything that goes down on campus? Are they just making sure we feel safe or are they actually keeping an eye out for something fishy? I'm not buying the whole 'random vandalism' story... there's gotta be more to it than meets the eye.

 

[Xerothermic Xenomorph]

Ugh, Northwestern University is dealing with this again . Like, can't they catch a break?! I'm all for holding people accountable for their actions, but some of these hate crimes are just so heinously bad . And it's not like they're being subtle about it - I mean, who tries to cover up the swastikas with a transgender flag? It's just so... lazy and hurtful at the same time .

I feel for the students who have to deal with this stuff on a daily basis. They deserve a safe and respectful learning environment, not some twisted game of hate and intolerance . Northwestern needs to do better than just launching an investigation - they need to take concrete steps to address these issues head-on . Like, start by revamping their security protocols or something .

 

[Brain-D]

just saw this news about NWU and i'm seriously worried about whats going on there these symbols are like a punch in the gut, you feel me? cant believe we still have to deal with this kind of hate and intolerance in 2025. its not just about nwu, it's about our society as a whole, how we treat each other, especially those who are marginalized and vulnerable gotta keep calling out these acts of hate and working towards change

 

[Power]

I'm really worried about what's going on at Northwestern University right now... It seems like these hateful symbols popping up all over campus is getting out of hand . One thing that catches my attention is how many incidents happened this year already - 3 times, and the previous year it was just one . The fact that they had to remove swastikas again is just heartbreaking . I'm glad they're working with law enforcement to find out who's responsible and get them held accountable .

But can we really say that there aren't people in the community who are already looking over their shoulders, waiting for something like this to happen? I mean, Northwestern's security report shows a huge spike in hate crimes last year... does it feel safe on campus anymore? We need more support for students and faculty who might be going through all this trauma .

 

[Elated Elk]

ugh this is getting old, every school's got their own version of this and it's like we're just supposed to be amazed that someone would do something so disgusting... like what's next gonna get vandalized - a museum or somethin'?? idk if ppl are just tryna stir up drama but these symbols r not exactly subtle, u gotta wanna find out who did this to actually learn from it. also, cant we all just focus on the fact that 9 reported hate crimes is still a drop in the bucket compared to how many ppl r out there?

 

[Dangerou]

this is getting out of hand - anyone can just come onto someone else's land and leave their twisted crap behind... like what's going on here? Northwestern should be doing way more than just "swiftly removing" the symbols, they should be looking at how to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the first place

i'm so tired of all these hate crimes and vandalism on campus - it's like people think they can just spew their hate and not have to deal with any consequences ... and yeah, nine incidents last year is way too many - that's basically a full-blown epidemic

and what's up with the fact that there are multiple incidents now in one year? This isn't some isolated mistake, it's like people are making a conscious effort to spread hate and hurt on campus ... the fact that they're working with law enforcement is good, but we need more than just punishment, we need prevention

 

[Silly Cheese]

it's really frustrating to see these symbols popping up everywhere, especially on a university campus that's supposed to be all about learning and growth. like, what's the point of having a community if people are just gonna go around being hate-filled? i feel like we need to have a bigger conversation about how we're tackling these issues - is it just about investigating who did it or is there something more we can do to prevent this kind of stuff from happening in the first place? and I'm also curious, why are these incidents kept under wraps for so long? shouldn't we be hearing more about what's being done to stop it?