A Christian monument at Massachusetts College is vandalized with offensive slogans like ‘Hail Satan’ and ‘Pagan Rule’
- The Haystack monument was vandalized late at night on May 13 and 19
- Built in 1867, it commemorates a prayer meeting held in 1806 that led to the modern American Protestant movement of overseas missionary work
- The college president has warned the graffiti is a crime and the university is working with Williamstown police to find those responsible.
A Christian monument at the heart of a college in Massachusetts has been repeatedly vandalized with offensive slogans including “Hail Satan” and “Pagan Rule”.
The Haystack monument, which has stood at the center of the Williams College campus since 1867, was spray-painted with bright red spray paint late at night on May 13 and 19.
Carved from white marble, the historic 12-foot-tall pillar commemorates an 1806 prayer meeting held by five undergraduate students under the shelter of a haystack during a summer storm.
The event led directly to the modern American Protestant movement in support of overseas missionary work, according to the college’s website.
The Haystack monument at Williams College in Massachusetts was spray-painted with bright red spray paint late at night on May 13 and 19.
Maud Mandel, president of the college, said in a message to staff and students that the graffiti was a crime and that the police had been contacted.
“Just after midnight Saturday, a campus security officer, responding to a report, discovered that the Haystack monument in Mission Park had been defaced with spray-painted graffiti,” she said on May 15.
“The graffiti included an obscenity as well as the words and phrases ‘Pagan Rule’, ‘Blood’, ‘Ouch’ and ‘Hail Satan’.
“Damaging property is a violation of Williams policies and the law, and costs time and money to fix.
“Campus Security Services (CSS) will attempt to identify the person(s) responsible.
“They will also alert the Williamstown police.”
Built in 1867, the white marble pillar commemorates a prayer meeting held in 1806 that led to the modern American Protestant movement of overseas missionary work
Mandel said staff removed much of the red paint the next day – only to have it reappear less than a week later.
This time the marble structure has been defaced with the words: ‘Hell is hot, ”Shame on you’ and ‘Ouch’.
After the second incident, Mandel said the college would “immediately” increase patrols in the area and again notified police.
She warned: “If found, those responsible will be held accountable.
“As the Monument commemorates the Christian missionary movement, some people may experience these incidents as attacks on your religion or on you personally.
“You belong here, and I will work for you and everyone else’s right to a safe community.”
Mandel urged anyone with information about the graffiti to come forward.
College president Maud Mandel wrote messages to staff and students saying vandalism is treated seriously and the police are involved
This is not the first time the Haystack Monument has been defaced.
According to student affairs newspaper The Williams Record, four visitors who claimed to be clergymen had earlier mud-smeared the pillar and carved concentric circles around it into the dirt.
The incident happened in broad daylight on a Sunday in September 2018.
Located in rural Williamstown near MA’s northwest border, Williams College is one of the oldest and most prestigious liberal arts schools in the country.
The college is home to approximately 2,300 current students and has produced notable alumni including President James Garfield, billionaire investor Herbert Allen, Jr., and film director John Frankenheimer.
