Georgetown investigating vandalism of crucifix, Catholic symbols as 'potential hate crimes'
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., is investigating the vandalism of Catholic symbols on campus as a potential “hate crime” as the widespread targeting of Catholic institutions continues to raise concerns.
In an Aug. 30 letter to students and staff, Georgetown Associate Vice President of Public Safety Jay Gruber and Vice President for Mission & Ministry Rev. Mark Bosco informed the campus community that they were investigating vandalism of Catholic symbols at the Jesuit educational institution.
Specifically, they mentioned that the “large processional crucifix in the Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart was inappropriately moved and sustained damage after being placed against the door.”
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The letter described the Dahlgren Chapel as a “sacred space” where “generations of students, faculty, staff and alumni have attended Mass, exchanged sacred vows at weddings, found reconciliation in confessions, were baptized into the faith or simply reflected in a quiet moment to recenter their lives.”
“Additionally, while on routine rounds this morning, Georgetown staff found that the statue of the Blessed Mother by the Heyden Observatory and Gardens was displaced and on the ground,” the letter stated. The school leaders indicated that they did not know “the motivation of the person or persons responsible, nor whether they are members of the University community.”
The letter identified “a light-complexioned male wearing a dark hoodie and dark-colored pants” seen entering the Dahlgren Chapel at approximately 11:40 p.m. the previous evening as a possible suspect based on security camera footage. The Georgetown University Police Department is investigating the acts of vandalism as possible hate crimes. The Georgetown leaders condemned “anti-Catholic acts and desecration of religious symbols” as “deeply concerning, hurtful, and offensive.”
“Acts of vandalism, especially of sacred spaces, have no place in our campus community,” they wrote. In response to the incidents, Gruber and Bosco announced they were “increasing patrols of all religious spaces on campus.” At the same time, they indicated that the vandalism would not affect the availability of religious services at Dahlgren Chapel.
Those with information about the incidents were encouraged to contact Georgetown University Police Department.
Without going into detail, the letter highlighted “other reported irregularities” at the vandalism sites in “recent weeks,” suggesting that they may have been connected to the incidents while stressing that a conclusion was not reached.
While the motivation behind the vandalism at Georgetown remains unclear, the descreation of religious symbols on the college campus comes amid concerns about anti-Catholic violence in the United States.
The advocacy group CatholicVote has compiled a spreadsheet keeping track of vandalism at Catholic churches since May 2020, when the death of George Floyd in police custody led to outbreaks of violence and civil unrest across the U.S.
The spreadsheet has identified 451 instances of anti-Catholic vandalism over the past four years. The incidents at Georgetown are listed as the most recent entry.
Catholic churches, along with other places of worship and pro-life pregnancy centers, have also found themselves subject to targeted attacks from pro-abortion activists after Politico published a leaked draft opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision indicating that the justices were poised to overrule the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.
The vandalism continued after the court released the official Dobbs decision in June 2022, which determined that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion. Catholic churches have found themselves targeted because of the church’s outspoken opposition to abortion.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
