On the morning of May 30, the first day of Finals Week, the Andover community woke up to numerous vandalized buildings, pathways, and other campus property. Graffiti was found on the walls, doors, and windows of Paresky Commons, Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, Bulfinch Hall, Pearson Hall, the Memorial Bell Tower, and the Armillary Sphere on the Great Lawn.
Messages such as “Wake up!” and “Hate the indoctrination” were written, and an Instagram account was tagged in one of the messages, indicating affiliation with the acts of vandalism. At the time of this article, the individual or group of individuals behind the vandalism had not been discovered.
Around an hour after the first class block, Head of School Dr. Raynard Kington sent a school-wide email detailing the incident of vandalism. He reported that a criminal investigation led by the Andover Police Department is underway.
“A disturbing case of vandalism was discovered early this morning across campus. In addition to defacing the exterior of several campus buildings and monuments with graffiti, the content includes profanity and statements referencing indoctrination, school systems, and government… In this final week of the school year, it is especially disheartening to encounter such inexcusable acts in our community…Phillips Academy has zero tolerance for criminal acts of any kind and will continue to work with the authorities to determine who is responsible,” wrote Kington.
Almost immediately after discovering the words, Andover had contacted the Andover Police Department (APD). By the end of the first class block, the front door of Bulfinch was repainted, and other places were barred off with caution tape. As of the morning of May 31, a pressure-washing company has been hired by the school and is working to remove the remaining graffiti. According to Lieutenant Edward Guy, Executive Officer of the APD, Phillips Academy is now working with the APD and detectives to find the perpetrators.
“The Andover Police Department was notified of several buildings that were vandalized overnight. Andover Police responded along with Andover Police Detectives to investigate the incident. We will be working with the Phillips Academy administration on this investigation. This is an active investigation and the damage to the buildings is significant,” wrote Guy in an email to The Phillipian.
In an interview with The Phillipian, Dr. Susan Esty, Dean of Students and Residential Life, also expressed her apprehension regarding the incident. Specifically, Esty is worried about the safety and well-being of the students.
“I understand that whoever did this is trying to send a message or lots of messages, but I hope that students continue to feel safe on campus, especially in our last few days, and I would hope they feel comfortable reaching out to an adult. Dr. Kington’s email said we would increase security, but the last thing we would want is people feeling unsafe on campus,” said Esty.
Overall, the student outlook on the vandalism and its messages seems negative. Abby Heppelman ’23 expressed her dissatisfaction with how the perpetrators decided to express their views, noting the physical damage to the defaced buildings.
“It is really stupid that one of the oldest buildings in America, a building with so much history, is going to be permanently damaged. There is no way I know of to get spray paint off of bricks without leaving a lasting mark, and this is a cause I don’t align with, and I know a lot of my peers don’t align with it. I just don’t think it needed to deface school property for [the message to be spread],” said Heppelman.
While the crime itself was not violent, some students feel threatened or unsafe on campus due to the incident. Graham Hardin ’23 commented on the fact that the vandalism had made the school feel more dangerous.
“[Andover] feels a little less secure… now that there are people vandalizing. This is the second case this year. It creates an environment where you are kind of wondering when the next thing is going to happen, you are kind of on edge, and there is a bigger presence. Of course, it is not a violent crime, but it makes you wonder,” said Hardin.
The timing of the event seemed to exacerbate the pressures of Finals Week for students. According to Gracie Aziabor ’26, extra stress has been placed on students due to the intense messages.
“When you think of the Andover bubble, it is always very safe and protected, and you don’t see… or hear stuff like that happening so often… It just made me super uncomfortable because [during] Finals Week, there is always a lot of stress on the students, and everybody already has a lot on their plate. Walking around and seeing a bunch of messages that are trying to get people to think more deeply about the community they are in…portrayed in such a negative way, I think it puts another level of stress and worry onto students who already are dealing with a bunch of stuff they are focusing on,” said Aziabor.
