A University of Illinois student was charged with a hate crime on Tuesday for allegedly placing a noose in a campus residence hall.
Andrew Smith, a 19-year-old sophomore, was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and committing a hate crime, which is a felony, after students found a noose hanging inside an elevator over the weekend, according to university police.
"Our mission at the University Police Department is to maintain a safe and secure environment where our campus community members feel supported and successful," Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Craig Stone said in a statement."We do not tolerate incidents that are perceived by others to be a threat to their safety, and we will always respond quickly to identify offenders and hold them accountable for those actions.
The story caught the attention of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who said he was"glad swift action was taken." "I'm committed to fighting intolerance and bigotry everywhere in our state and building a culture of learning at our universities that serves all students," Pritzker said on Twitter Tuesday."Hate has no place in Illinois or in its educational institutions, and I’m glad swift action was taken to address this incident."
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