Police Probe Racist Graffiti At York University
Posted January 23, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Racist graffiti was scrawled on an office door outside a popular student centre at York University, and members of the school’s Black Student’s Alliance believe the timing of the act was carefully planned. They believe the “N” word, along with “Go Back To Africa” were written between 1am and 9am Monday, which was Martin Luther King day.
“I believe they wanted to hit where it hurts. That’s what I believe, that they wanted to hit where it hurts and make it more relevant,” said Zannalyn Robest of the Black Student’s Alliance.
“I’m not surprised that people feel this way but I am surprised that they would be so blatant as to write it on the door.
“People should be allowed to come to school and feel safe in the student centre where many students sit and study late at night.”
It wasn’t the only incident. On Wednesday in a washroom across campus, more racist graffiti was found. The “N” word was used again.
“This incidence is totally unacceptable behaviour,” said York’s Alex Bilyk.
Robest feels the graffiti should be treated as a hate crime. “A lot of students here are very hurt by these words. It needs to be deplored by everybody, not just black people but by everybody.”
