Rutgers vandals tag campus again

Four campus spots were vandalized with graffiti Monday night in yet another apparent case of Rutgers-related mischief.

"In all four cases someone wrote in red paint, 'RU 1869,' " University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said, a possible reference to Rutgers University and the year of the first intercollegiate football game between Princeton and Rutgers.

An officer on duty found spray paint on the front doors of Nassau Hall on Tuesday morning. Reports of graffiti on the west side of McCormick Hall; the entrance to 48 University Place, which houses The Daily Princetonian's offices; and the arch between Holder courtyard and Nassau Presbyterian Church came in from people at each location, Cliatt said. "Public Safety is actively investigating and the University is doing what they can to prevent future acts," Cliatt added.

On Oct. 1, Whig Hall was spray-painted with "We want a game 1869 RUTGERS 443." Three days later, Clio Hall, the Revolutionary War cannon and the two tigers between Whig and Clio halls were tagged. Lodge 443, a self-proclaimed secret society at Rutgers, claimed responsibility for both incidents.

The 'Prince' received an email from "The Loyal Men of Lodge 443" yesterday, claiming responsibility for the graffiti.

One of the goals of Lodge 443 is to reinstate the Princeton-Rutgers football game. Monday was the anniversary of the first game between the two schools, played on Nov. 6, 1869.

The email also states that members had tagged "14 other places on the Princeton University campus." They did not tag the cannons because "your rent-a-cop public safety officers were so concerned about us painting the cannons that they couldn't leave the two pieces of scrap metal for five minutes."

Monday night's vandalism is just the first attack in an upcoming "war" with the University, the group alleged in an email.

"Consider this a Declaration of War," the email said. "We demand an unconditional surrender, and here our [sic] the terms: (1) A Rutgers-Princeton football match (not every year, but frequently). (2) Removal of any obstacles to our painting our cannon while it is held hostage by your institution. (3) A guarantee to enter negotiations for the return of our cannon in due speed."

In a Guy Fawkes-esque salute, the group ended the email with, "Remember, Remember the Sixth of November!"