BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A University of Vermont student faces charges in connection with an ongoing campus vandalism investigation.
For several months, UVM Police have been investigating multiple incidents of graffiti on campus relating to the conflict in Gaza.
UVM Police say a 21-year-old student was cited for multiple charges of unlawful mischief.
Police say they responded to 40 vandalism complaints in and around campus, 23 of them referenced Israel, Palestine and Gaza.
Jewish students on campus said the graffiti made them feel isolated.
“We want people to feel as safe as they can regardless of their political perspectives,” UVM Police Chief Tim Bilodeau said.
“People feel unsafe on campus, and I hope we can continue to figure out where the rest of the graffiti is coming from,” said Halle Sisenwine, a Jewish UVM student.
UVM spent about $3,500 to clean the graffiti up.
The student is due in court this May.
Police say investigations into the other incidents of vandalism are still ongoing.