In an Internal Communications email sent last Friday, St. John’s University informed students and faculty members of what it referred to as “offensive graffiti” recently found in a bathroom stall in Marillac Hall.

According to the Bias Response Team, led by Keaton Wong, Title XI coordinator, and Monique Jernigan, St. John’s Office of Multicultural Affairs executive director and Inclusivity Resource Center director, the graffiti was discovered the week of Dec. 3. The graffiti included crude drawings, a swastika and racial epithets, according to the email.

“St. John’s University condemns all acts of hatred, violence, and intolerance, including antisemitism, racism, and sexism,” the statement said. “We recognize that any time expressions of hate or intolerance occur, they harm and threaten the security of the entire community.”

The graffiti violates the policy against bias, discrimination and harassment. Outlined in Policy 704 is an example of discriminatory harassment and defined as “derogatory posters, cartoons or drawings.” The University also states that discriminatory harassment is anything that creates an “unwelcoming or hostile environment” for people based off their personal characteristics, which are protected by law.

“Hate has no place at this University and is in direct opposition of our mission,” the statement read. “We stand for respect, human solidarity, inclusion, and a place where all are free to learn and work in a safe and welcoming environment. As a community, we will continue to challenge and call out acts of injustice and hate.”

The email did not state when the graffiti was found or who discovered it, but encouraged anybody who may have witnessed the incident to contact the Office of Human Resources, Equal Opportunity and Compliance.