Members of the York University Black Students’ Alliance are feeling threatened by the racial slurs scrawled in various places around the club’s office

Less than 12 hours after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, members of the York community were shocked to discover derogatory graffiti targeting black students, in what is being called a hate crime.
Nana Serwah, a York University Black Students’ Alliance (YUBSA) member, was one of the first students at the scene.
“I came in after my class and I found [. . .] ‘niggas go back to Africa’ [on the door to the YUBSA office . . .] then another person informed me that there was a second sign in the washroom saying, ‘all niggers must die,’” said Serwah. On the door’s room number, 402, the words “is for nigers [sic]” were also written.
“I was upset, not at the fact of what was written, because I know people feel that way around the world, but I think it’s the ignorance, especially at a campus like this, a community where we have a diverse mosaic of people [. . .] It is a reflection of the underlying tones of [what] people feel but don’t express it,” said Marcus Hagley, a third-year law and society and communications double major.




The Student Centre is typically viewed as a safe space for students, but this is beginning to be questioned.
Sandra Pierre, York alumna and former YFS vice-president equity, spoke openly about her fears.
“Right now, our safe space has been violated and as a student, as a woman, I am scared to be at York at night. Now, as a black woman, I’m scared to be around the YUBSA office because I don’t know who it is, or their level of hate for black people. I don’t know what they are capable of doing,” said Pierre.
Although the university responded by sending York Security and a representative of the Office of the Ombudsperson and Centre for Human Rights to the scene, students were still unhappy with how the situation was handled.
“Security came and took a few pictures, someone from the ombudsperson’s office came and gave us a few cards [. . .] What’s that supposed to do?” asked a frustrated Serwah.
“Right now, I’m hoping that we’ll take further action into our own hands and call whoever we need to call to make sure that this is taken seriously as a hate crime.”
Selwyn McSween, interim ombudsperson and director of human rights at York, said he understood why students would feel that way.
“What they have gone through has insulted their dignity. I don’t expect them to be satisfied with a mere handing out of cards,” McSween said.
McSween sent an advisor over to view the graffiti.
“I hope I will be able to meet with them and discuss this matter when I have the report from our advisor,” he said.
“Our response is not to be minimalist; that is just a preliminary approach. It is proper for me to have someone verify, then in my capacity take the next step,” McSween added.
Rob Castle, executive director of the Student Centre, said the school is looking at a series of measures to make the building safer, although he did admit there are limitations.
“Some things we can do quickly, other things will take much more time [. . .] We’re doing all that we can. The important thing is that people see that security has gotten involved [. . .] We have [also] given consideration to installing CCTV [closed-circuit television] cameras,” said Castle. 
Gilary Massa, YFS VP equity YFS felt that it was “absolutely unacceptable for something like this to be happening, not only on our campus but also in general.”




Massa added that the incident showed the importance of community services like YUBSA “to bring education and awareness, and also provide support for black students on this campus.”
Massa confirmed that YFS would do anything they could to support YUBSA and “hopefully the national anti-racism campaign [YFS has] going on will shed some light” on the situation.
At 9:10 p.m. on Jan. 22 the Toronto Police responded to the incident. An officer spoke to YUBSA and took photos as evidence, but was unable to release an official comment to the press.
McSween thought the act was deliberately committed “at the time when North America [. . .] and probably most of the world is celebrating the birth date of Martin Luther King.”
“It’s ironic and doubly insulting [. . .] to have them create such an insulting act on a day like this, after what Martin Luther has stood for in the world,” he added.
Castle made similar comments.
“I think it is particularly poignant when something like this happens on Martin Luther King Day [. . .] It’s clearly hate and I wish stuff like this didn’t happen,” he said.
Despite the circumstances, McSween remained optimistic.
“As [Martin Luther King Jr.] said, York will overcome,” he said with a smile.