Swastika flag raised at NYU leads to hate crime charges for Connecticut man

A man faces hate crime charges for allegedly hoisting a swastika flag at NYU last month, police said. 

Alexander Stepnowsky was arrested Tuesday. The 23-year-old Connecticut resident, in his fourth year at NYU this year, turned himself in to police.

Stepnowsky was charged with burglary as a hate crime, criminal trespass as a hate crime, and aggravated harassment. 

Stepnowsky pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday and released without bail. He's due back in court in August. 

Police sources say Stepnowsky made statements to the police expressing frustration with NYU's involvement with Israel's political issues. 

Stepnowsky allegedly raised the flag back on May 13. He was allegedly captured on surveillance video using his NYU ID to swipe his way into the facility where he raised the flag. 

The flag itself was purple and resembled the flag of Israel, with stripes above and below a Star of David in the center. Inside the star was NYU's torch emblem, and flanking the star on both sides were large swastikas. 

"The University cooperated fully with the NYPD. We are grateful for their exhaustive work and for the efforts of the Manhattan District Attorney in identifying the person responsible for this heinous crime. The symbols that were represented are antisemitic and hateful to every person of conscience; this appalling act violated our sense of community and solidarity. In addition to criminal proceedings, we will immediately pursue our disciplinary procedures, which carry the most severe consequences," said Wiley Norvell, senior vice president for university relations and public affairs at NYU.