Governor Andrew Cuomo today ordered the
New York State Police, SUNY Police and the State Division of Human
Rights to conduct a multi-agency investigation into the alleged hate
crime that took place at SUNY Geneseo on Friday.
The incident was first reported by a residence assistant who discovered
graffiti, including a swastika and the word “Trump,” at the
university’s Nassau Residence Hall. This marks the second investigation launched into alleged hate crimes in New York in the past few hours.
“To those who think they can intimidate our
fellow New Yorkers through racism or anti-Semitism I have one message:
Don't count on it," Governor Cuomo said. "It
is unacceptable that this is the second investigation that we have had
to announce in the last several hours. Any and every reported incident
will be investigated and pursued to the fullest extent of the law by the
State Police and the Division of Human rights. To any New Yorker who is
scared, I want you to know that we have your back, that we will keep
you safe, and that protecting your rights is what America stands for."
In 2000, New York State enacted legislation to strengthen penalties for
hate crimes. Under the law, a person commits a hate crime when one of a
specified set of offenses is committed targeting a victim because of a
perception or belief about their race, color, national origin, ancestry,
gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual
orientation, or when such an act is committed as a result of that type
of perception or belief. Hate crimes can be perpetrated against an
individual, a group of individuals or against public or private
property. Also under state law it is illegal to discriminate on the
basis of race, national origin, religion, ethnicity and many other
protected classifications.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Details on the incident are available in this News 10 WHEC report.
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