Hate Crimes Task Force Investigating Racist, Anti-Semitic Graffiti On NYU Building

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the state's Hate Crimes Task Force to assist NYPD members investigating racist graffiti discovered on a New York University building.

It happened at 31 Washington Place around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, according to police.

Investigators said someone drew swastikas and wrote anti-Black statements in black marker on the building.

In a statement Friday, Cuomo said:

I am appalled to see media reports of hateful anti-Semitic and anti-Black graffiti scrawled on the side of an NYU building. The fact that Rosh Hashanah begins tonight makes this bigoted graffiti all the more hurtful, as does the placement on a building dedicated to education. This is not who we are as New Yorkers and I am directing the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to assist in the investigation immediately.

Police are trying to identify a potential suspect spotted on surveillance cameras near the scene shortly after the incident.

(credit: NYPD)

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

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