The University Police Department responded to a report of a pile of items left at the base of the Homer Statue at approximately 7:45 a.m., per a general communication sent Saturday afternoon by Timothy Longo, vice president for safety and security and chief of police. Officers located two masks, a “civil peace flag,” a Christian cross and a sealed envelope containing a letter.
Per the communication, the envelope was blank and contained a brief letter, which indicated that the statue glorifies pedophilia and said we “are all so blinded by hatred and racial division” that we “refuse to see the truth that is hidden in plain sight.”
“If you live in reality you will see an old man with a nude adolescent boy in between his legs,” the letter read.
Per photos obtained by The Cavalier Daily, at least one of the masks appears to be an "Anonymous" mask.
The general communication also notes that the letter did not contain any language that “would give rise to an immediate concern for public safety” and made no religious or racial references.
The Homer Statue has been the site of much attention this semester after a noose was found around the neck of the figure the night of Sept. 7, which the University classified as a hate crime. UPD later confirmed that items were left at the scene of this incident, and has yet to make an arrest in this investigation.
At this time, UPD is still working to determine whether the pile of items found at the base of the statue Saturday morning have any relation to the hate crime. Anyone with information regarding these investigations should contact UPD at 434-924-7166 or email police@virginia.edu.
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