Ideal Dowling is an editor at large at the Middlebury Campus, where a version of this story was first published.
The Middlebury College Department of Public Safety is investigating an incident in which a substance believed to be urine was poured outside a prayer space of the Muslim Students Association.
Two members of the organization were inside the room when the vandalism occurred last weekend in the basement of Forest Hall, a building that also houses some student residences.
The early morning attack came on April 9 as the Muslim community was observing Ramadan, a month-long celebration focused on community, prayer and reflection. The timing was seen as a clear indication that it was a targeted act of bias.
It was unclear how many individuals were involved in the attack, although at least one person returned soon after and tried to forcefully enter the locked room, according to an email sent by the association to its members. The students inside the prayer room remained safely inside for the duration of the incident.
Dean of Students Derek Doucet, in a joint email with the college’s Community Bias Response Team, condemned the defiling of the religious space.
“Muslims face discrimination, bias, and violence in a myriad of ways, and these kinds of incidents trigger the fear and belief that Muslims are unwelcome, are other, and do not deserve safety and dignity,” they wrote. “The desecration of a space that is dedicated for prayer is an abhorrent violation not only of our institutional values but also of basic human decency.”
Leaders of the Muslim Students Association said they do not believe its members face any imminent physical danger.
Citing the potential emotional impact of the incident, the bias response team encouraged students to take advantage of campus resources at the Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life, MiddTelehealth and the Centeno House Counseling Center.
The public safety department urged anyone with information about the incident to contact its office on campus.
