An unknown suspect defaced Phi Gamma Hall, Emory University’s oldest academic building, on Feb. 9 with spray paint reading “Un jour je serai de retour près de toi,” a French phrase that translates to “One day I will return to your side.” The phrase “I love you” also appeared on the building, which is located on the Oxford College campus.
The phrase may be in reference to the video game “Disco Elysium.” In the game, following a violent shootout scene between dockworkers and mercenaries, the phrase appears on the ground outside of a hotel. The graffiti, mixed with blood from the conflict, serves as a rare moment of hope in the game’s otherwise bleak world.
Oxford College Dean Badia Ahad addressed the incident in an email to the student body.
“The damage to Phi Gamma Hall goes beyond just physical harm to a building — it represents a breach of trust within our community,” Ahad wrote.
Later that day, more acts of vandalism occurred at Oxford. On the wall bordering the pathway outside of Fleming Hall, someone spray painted a message reading “Someone is with you.” Another message on the pathway between Murdy Hall and Elizer Hall read “What do you all want?”
An unknown individual spray painted a message reading “Someone is with you” on the wall bordering the pathway outside of Fleming Hall. Courtesy of Kenan Bajraktarevic (25Ox)
Oxford Student Government Association (OxSGA) President Kenan Bajraktarevic (25Ox) said Senior Associate Dean of Campus Life Darleny Cepin notified him of the incident through a phone call.
“We’ve tried to do so much throughout the entire year to, for example, improve the maintenance processes or make sure that all facilities in Oxford College are running well, and this directly diverts those resources,” Bajraktarevic said.
Students on campus shared a mix of confusion and concern. OxSGA Associate Justice Nate Occilien-Similien (26Ox) said acts like these can threaten campus safety.
“I was a little concerned about what was going on, if there were students involved or if there was students who were harmed in the process,” Occilien-Similien said.
Ritisha Lingampally (26Ox) expressed her own shock at the incident and said that there are better ways to express oneself than vandalizing school property.
“I was surprised because I didn’t think something like this would happen at our campus,” Lingampally said.
The Emory Police Department (EPD) will assign the incident for investigation, according to EPD Records Manager Ed Shoemaker (87G, 90G).
As the investigation continues, Bajraktarevic emphasized the importance of open communication between students and OxSGA instead of a reliance on illegal activity.
“I do encourage any students to just feel free to talk to any Oxford SGA member, and even if they want to submit something anonymously, that is totally fine,” Bajraktarevic said. “It is just still really concerning that we have to deal with this.”
Graffiti appeared on Atlanta campus structures several times last year. In April, unknown individuals spray painted phrases such as “Free Palestine,” “Stop Cop City,” “Fire Fenves” and “Emory must divest” on buildings on the Quadrangle. A few days later, unidentified protestors spray painted “LAND BACK,” “FUK USA” and “DEATH 2 [ISRAEL]” on Convocation Hall. Other protestors condemned their actions, claiming that the spray painters were not students.
Contributing Writer Kimi Weng (26Ox) contributed to reporting on this piece.
