Two suspects were arrested at MSU after a streak of hateful vandalism and death threats resonated at the university this past month.

Almost three weeks since someone found vandalism reading “die fags” and a note slipped under the school LGBT office reading “fags will die on 2/7”, the Montclair State University student body has made it a point to voice acceptance and retaliated against hate, as demonstrated by the anti-hate rallies that the students have partaken in.

In the most recent email addressing the students, vice president for student development and campus life, Karen Pennington wrote, “It has been determined that there was probable cause to arrest the two individuals who were the source of the reported complaint related to the racist graffiti and threat of violence. The University Police Department is continuing to actively investigate the bias incident that occurred last week toward the LGBT community and will continue to do so until arrests are made in that case as well.”

With the increasing number of gay suicides and bullying towards the gay community, the university took the threat seriously and vice president Susan Cole addressed this concern to the student body with an email saying, “These actions are grossly unacceptable in our community and a clear violation of university policies, as well as the basic tenets of human decency,” she went on to warn the possible offenders of the student body saying, “ a bias incident is a criminal act, and anybody found responsible for such actions will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

On Feb 7th the anticipated day of attack, university security was on high alert as sniper-armed officers patrolled the school from the rooftops of buildings and local police strolled the campus for possible suspects. Passionate students rallied and showed their pride for acceptance by waiving colorful rainbow flags and wearing pins and purple clothing to symbolize peace and demonstrate a presence of unity.

But still, many people wonder if the right measures were taken and if the situation was handled appropriately.

MSU junior, Jenna Laszlo (20), says she felt secure with the high security and the police officers despite her parents’ fears of the possible attacks, “ I didn’t think there would be so many cops. Even if you needed someone to escort you to your car, a cop could do it.”

“I think the guys who did this wanted a reaction and it’s exactly what we gave them,” says MSU sophomore Anthony Musso (19), “I don’t really think this accomplishes much because they could attack a student at any time”

However the overall morale of the students seems to be positive, Laszlo said. “After everything, we’re more aware of the issue. We feel more secure and more school spirit. We got a lot of emails on the matter which shows that everyone really cares.”

Administrators at MSU are trying to remove the idea that the university is a place of intolerance and Pennington promoted the idea that hate is not an MSU value.

The swift action of the school community helped facilitate the arrests of the suspected individuals and demonstrated the school’s intolerance of discrimination. The university still stands by the motto “we are as one” says Pennington, “In coming together as we have during these difficult recent days, it could not be any clearer to me that this tradition stands firm.”