Crime

NCC student arrested in swastika graffiti case

Police: Suspect scrawled 'Heil Hitler' in campus bathroom

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Authorities have arrested a man and charged him with drawing swastikas and other racist graffiti on the grounds of Nassau Community College.

According to Nassau County police, Jasskirat Saini, 20, of Plainview, drew two swastikas and the letters “KKK” on an exterior wall on campus; wrote “Heil Hitler” and “Germany” inside a bathroom; and throughout October, drew other swastikas on walls around the east Garden City campus.

Saini was charged with aggravated harassment and was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Wednesday. Saini's attorney information was unavailable at press time.

Dr. Hubert Keen, president of NCC issued a statement on Wednesday decrying the incident and urging staff and students to use it as a learning experience.

"We are grateful to the Nassau County Police Department for their good police work in this painstaking investigation," he said. "I would also like to commend our own Public Safety Department for working closely with the police in breaking this case. We are especially thankful and proud of the excellent investigation carried out by our NCC Public Safety Officer, Sargent Charles Derck."

 

"We are deeply saddened that the alleged perpetrator is a student, and it reminds us that  a zero tolerance policy and a rigorous program of on-campus anti-bias programs must be reaffirmed every day.  We will use this unfortunate series of events as an object lesson for our students, faculty and staff in the days and weeks ahead," Keen added.

This alleged bias incident is one of several in the area in recent weeks, and came as New York City police reported a 400 percent increase in such incidents since the Nov. 8 election, according to an Associated Press report.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has noticed the “uptick in recent reports of discrimination, bias-motivated threats, harassment and violence,” and has launched a toll-free hotline to report such incidents.

“New York serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity for all, and we will continue to stand up to those who seek to spread the politics of division, fear and hate,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This state celebrates our differences because we know that it is the rich fabric of cultures and customs that makes this one of the greatest, most diverse places in the world.

"We will continue to work with our local partners to investigate all incidents of reported bias and ensure that New Yorkers feel safe and protected," the governor continued. "Any acts of discrimination or intimidation will be met with the full force of the law.”

Anyone wishing to report incidents of bias or discrimination is encouraged to call the statewide toll-free hotline at (888) 392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.