Students at a middle school in Danvers, Massachusetts, have found anti-Semitic graffiti in a bathroom for the second time in two weeks, officials said Thursday.
A swastika symbol -- used by the Nazis and by neo-Nazis -- was found in a student bathroom at Holten Richmond Middle School on Thursday and reported to school officials, said Danvers School Superintendent Lisa Dana in a letter to the community.
Last week, "racist, homophobic and antisemitic graffiti" was found in a bathroom at the same middle school, Dana said in the letter, calling it a "hate incident."
“We condemn this hate crime and want to be clear that this type of hateful and discriminatory behavior has no place at Holten-Richmond Middle School or in any Danvers public school,” Dana wrote. “We are very proud of the students who sought out a trusted adult to report it.”
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She said the administration and police are investigating the incident and will take any “appropriate disciplinary and/or legal action.” The school also planned to hold team meetings on Friday, to educate students on the meaning and significance of the swastika.
The discovery also comes amid controversy surrounding allegations of violent, sexual, homophobic and racist hazing rituals against the 2019-2020 Danvers high school hockey team.
The Boston Globe reported that town officials attempts to cover up the incident earlier in November. Parents and teachers blasted the school for lack of transparency and the alleged cover-up, calling Dana's removal as superintendent.
