GW College Democrats and GW College Republicans released a joint statement Monday afternoon condemning the desecration of the Torah scroll at the Tau Kappa Epsilon townhouse.

The statement said antisemitism is a recurring issue at the University and urged GW’s administrators to find and hold accountable the perpetrators of the vandalism.

“The issue of antisemitism has been repetitive and prominent on this campus, so it is important that we take a strong stance against it,” the message read. “It is past time for GW’s administration to hold anti-semites accountable for their actions.”

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the incident as a suspected hate crime. University President Thomas LeBlanc also condemned the incident and said the GW Police Department was working with MPD to find the perpetrators.

GW for Israel also released a statement Monday afternoon, calling the vandalism “horrific and unconscionable.” The group wrote that Jewish students at GW have been “routinely targeted” because of their faith, adding that the organization is a resource for students seeking community.

“Time and time again, we have witnessed evil manifested on this campus in the form of antisemitism,” the statement read. “Such acts of hate are antithetical to the community we strive to maintain at GW.”