ROANOKE COUNTY (WSLS10) - Roanoke County Police are investigating after a divisive symbol has appeared in the Roanoke community twice in one week.
Hollins University officials removed a swastika that was painted on a nearby bridge abutment Tuesday. The swastika was discovered in a tunnel that runs underneath Williamson Road right next to campus.
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A different swastika was found painted on a campus landmark known as "The Rock" Sunday.
Several local Jewish organizations have said they are appalled by the incidents.
Marci Brumberg, the education director at the Beth Israel Synagogue, and Dennis Brumberg, who's part of the Roanoke Jewish Federation, said this isn't an issue to be taken lightly.
"Those of us who bridged the time going back to having relatives and people we knew with tattoos of numbers on their arms that we saw react very negatively to this sort of thing," said Dennis Brumberg.
"You don't know if it's the same person," said Marci. "You don't know. But, I just think where there's one there might be two."
It's an offensive symbol that the Brumbergs agree emerged at an ironic time. May 5th marks a commemorative day of the Holocaust.
"Six million of my people perished just because of their Jewishness," said Marci. "It's just a scary, a scary thought that this still exists in the world today."
The Brumbergs said they believe the best tool to fight against this Nazi symbol is through education and to never forget their history.
Since the tunnel is on state property, the investigation was turned over to Roanoke County Police. Police and school officials said they do not know if both incidents are related and are still looking for who's responsible.