Hamilton College student Adyn Brenden recently pleaded not guilty on aggravated harassment charges after allegedly writing anti-Semitic slogans on art canvases on Hamilton’s campus.
WKTV reported that Brenden took the not-guilty plea on Oct. 29. While he pleaded not guilty, Brenden “ultimately admitted to posting the remarks” during a voluntary interview with the New York State Police, the outlet also reported.
Hamilton College initially conducted its own internal investigation on Brenden’s alleged anti-Semitism after receiving reports on the evening of October 10 that a mural on campus had been vandalized, NBC News reported.
This graffiti included phrases such as “Kill the Jews wherever you find them” as well as drawings of swastikas. Brenden alleged that his intent in creating the graffiti was to “show people what was underlining the pro-Palestinian movement other than just the surface of what people saw.”
Brenden has since appeared in court on October 15 and 29, and following his not-guilty plea, he was scheduled for a third appearance on January 28.
According to his Facebook page, Brendan is a “Furry Catholic & Cartoonist” who invites others to “be a friend and join [him] in [his] journey on earth.”
Hamilton College president Steven Tepper released a statement following the incident expressing gratitude for NYSP’s swift action and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to creating an environment conducive to higher learning.
“Hamilton College is grateful to the NYSP and Campus Safety for their work together in response to this situation,” Tepper said. “Hamilton College is committed to maintaining a safe campus free from bias acts, discrimination or harassment, where students have full access to their education and where all people are treated with respect.”
Tepper also called on students and faculty alike to firmly reject the anti-Semitic nature of Brenden’s alleged behavior.
“The messages that defaced the Crossroads community mural project were anti-semitic. We must all denounce anti-semitic speech and hate speech of any kind; reject it with every fiber of our being,” he stated. “I ask everyone to stand together in solidarity and to hold one another accountable for maintaining this extraordinary learning environment free from intimidation.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Hamilton College for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.
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