Over the past eight days, three more hate bias incidents have been reported at the University of Maryland.
Earlier this week, University Police responded to anti-LGBT language found on a whiteboard in a dorm. In addition, the university’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion has responded to two hate bias incidents over the past eight days, which involved anti-Semitic and racist language posted online.
[Read more: Following slew of hate bias incidents, UMD adds new diversity programs, incident log]
On Sept. 12, the office received a report of offensive language. An unidentified person joined a live-stream presentation on Sept. 11 and messaged “Jews did 911,” according to the office’s hate bias incident log, which was unveiled last week.
ODI has offered support to those affected by this incident, according to the log. The incident wasn’t posted to the log as of Sunday, at least four days after the report.
On Monday evening, a resident assistant in La Plata Hall reported to police that they found “non-inclusive, anti-LGBTQ language” on a whiteboard, which had been written earlier that day, according to a news release by police spokesperson Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas.
[Read more: “It’s terrifying to go back there”: Students react to hate bias incidents in UMD dorms]
The writing was erased after a photo was taken of it, according to the news release.
A detective has been assigned and the ODI was notified, the release said. This incident was not on the office’s log as of the time of publication.
The incident mimics one that happened earlier this semester in Queen Anne’s Hall, where anti-LGBT language was written on a whiteboard and later shouted in the halls. It’s the second reported hate bias incident in La Plata this year, after a swastika was reported there earlier this semester.
On Thursday, ODI received a report that an “offensive, explicit, and degrading image of a black male” was sent in a GroupMe chat, according to the log.
The office has since met with those affected by this incident to develop an “action plan,” according to its website.
This is part of the university’s plan to address hate bias incidents, announced shortly after the killing of 2nd Lt. Richard Collins, a black Bowie State University student, on the campus in May 2017. Sean Urbanski, a white former student at this university, has been charged with a hate crime and first-degree murder and is set to stand trial in January.
