NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) — A hateful message discovered on the campus of Meharry Medical College is now under investigation.
Police say it was nonviolent, but it’s still being treated seriously. They are still looking for the person who did it.
Metro Police reported that the statement was written in chalk on the barrier of one of the parking decks and was removed immediately.
In a statement, Meharry’s president confirmed someone defaced a remote area of the Albion Street parking garage with a racial slur and threatening language.
He said the graffiti was removed right away, and they’ve now increased security patrols on campus.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said Friday that incidents like this are rare — but the community shouldn’t tolerate them.
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“We’ve also worked on some tools to make this harder and have people know that if they’re going to have hate anywhere other than their thoughts and hearts and they’re going to try to display it somewhere, we’re going to hold them accountable,” he said.
Dr. Hildreth called it a hate crime, saying, in part:
“We do not tolerate hate and will fiercely defend the welfare and dignity of our community. This abhorrent act will not shake who we are—and have been—for almost 150 years.”
The mayor also said Metro Police, codes and private property owners work together to make sure hateful messages are removed quickly – as was the case here.
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