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Don't get us wrong, we're as moderately fond of the Astor Place Cube as the next non-NYU kid. And so, yeah, we suppose we're also opposed to vandalizing it. Which is were vaguely discomfited by the headline on an article we were just sent from the Washington Square News, NYU's student paper: "Cube Found Vandalized, Seven Arrested." We wondered, what sort of horrible vandalism could provoke such such mass arrests? And so we read on:

The Astor Place cube was vandalized with chalk Saturday at around 6:30 p.m, and seven vandals people — four males and three females — were arrested for the crime. Four people were charged with disorderly conduct, while three others were charged with making graffiti.

With chalk? Arrested for defacing with chalk? We'd be amazed by this — except we learned earlier today that apparently no one at at NYU has any concept of a proportional response.

Cube Found Vandalized, Seven Arrested [WSN]
Earlier: Starving for His Housing [WSN]