College Statement on Vandalism Downtown

November 15, 2016

President Mauri Ditzler emailed the following statement to the Albion College community earlier this morning:

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

Our community woke up this morning to swastikas in our downtown.

Albion College wholeheartedly resents and rejects the expressions of hatred that were made through the vandalism of storefront windows and other sites on Superior Street. We are confident that the overwhelming majority of Albion residents join us on campus in condemning this criminal act, and we are also confident that Albion Public Safety is working diligently to determine who is responsible. The College’s Office of Campus Safety is also increasing its patrols of campus.

To those in our host community who moved quickly to remove these symbols, we thank you. We also thank Mayor Joe Domingo’s firm response that those responsible will be prosecuted. As City Manager Sheryl Mitchell noted, “Ethnic and racial intimidation has no place in Albion.” Similarly, as Council Member Beckie Decker stated, “Albion is a community that values everyone and this cannot be tolerated.”

The ugly symbols we found today and the messages they convey serve to remind us that this is a time to express our support and love to all members of the campus and local community who are feeling particularly vulnerable in this time of uncertainty.

The College also shares the following message on behalf of the Albion Ministerial Association:

Albion Unity & Prayer Gathering

The Albion Ministerial Association is calling the community of Albion to stand together in unity against hate and its destructive expressions. Our community was vandalized by symbols of hatred (swastikas and other symbols of racial prejudice & division). These symbols of bigotry and the mindsets they represent remind us of the brokenness of our society and the need for unity and bold expressions of love, support, faith and prayerful actions of solidarity for our community.

We invite you to stand in solidarity with us TODAY November 15th at 5pm on the corner of Superior and Ash St. across from the Albion Public Library.