Two Northwestern students were arrested Saturday and charged with felony vandalism in connection with graffiti found in Alice Millar Chapel.

Anthony Morales and Matthew Kafker, both Weinberg freshmen, were arraigned Saturday morning and charged with institutional vandalism, hate crime to a place of worship and criminal damage to property. The students have been placed on interim suspension, which prevents them from being on campus, University spokesman Bob Rowley told The Daily in an email Saturday night.

University President Morton Schapiro sent an email to students Friday night condemning the vandalism as a “disgusting act of hatred.”

Schapiro said University Police found homophobic, anti-Semitic, racist and other offensive graffiti inside Alice Millar Chapel early Friday morning, including in the chapel’s offices. The organ in the religious center’s Jeanne Vail Chapel was also painted with graffiti, but University Chaplain Timothy Stevens told The Daily in an email Saturday morning the spray paint had been removed from the organ.

“Northwestern is committed to creating a safe, secure and welcoming environment for all of our students, faculty and staff,” Schapiro said in the email. “This disgusting act of hatred violates the deepest values and core commitments of our University and is an affront to us all.”

Correction: Due to incorrect information from a University spokesman, a previous version of this article misstated the status of the students. They have been placed on interim suspension. The Daily regrets the error. 

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