Ukrainian ribbons vandalized on UConn campus
By Eliza Kruczynski and Olivia Schueller
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STORRS, Connecticut (WFSB) — Ukrainian ribbons on the University of Connecticut campus were vandalized.
The ribbons had to be taken down, and students said it was the first time they saw something like that happen on campus.
On Monday, Kate Koval and other members of the Ukrainian Student Association reported that they noticed the Ukrainian ribbons, which were tied on trees and lampposts, were defaced.
They had been hanging for nearly 2 years.
“They had ‘Z’ all over them, or ZOV, which is a Russian military symbol, which is also used to show support of the invasion to killing Ukrainians,” Koval said.
Throughout the week, more and more vandalized flags popped up.
Koval said UConn had been supportive over the last two years, so the vandalism came as a shock.
Dozens of flags were cut down as a result.
“It’s really heartbreaking to cut down your own flag,” Koval said.
The vandalism came just days ahead of the two-year anniversary of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
“I miss my home. I miss my family that’s still there. It’s really hard,” Koval said.
She said through it all, the Ukrainian Student Association has stuck together.
“We’re just trying to support each other as much as we can,” Koval explained.
UConn said it is looking into what happened.
The University strives to create a community of inclusivity and respect, and condemns all acts of bias. UConn was made aware of the incident on Monday, and recorded it as part of its bias incident response protocol. The Dean of Students Office has invited the Ukrainian Student Organization and its members to meet for further discussions, and extends that support to any other community members who wish to talk with us about this or other concerns. —Stephanie Reitz, UConn spokesperson
UConn said the process included identifying and providing support to impacted parties.
Saturday will mark the 2 year anniversary of the war with Russia.
Students planned to place 100 flags outside of the student union to remember Ukrainians who lost their lives in the war.
The group will also be in Hartford for a Ukrainian protest on Sunday.
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