A large, hired crane lowered a worker down to remove the words "you can kill Castle Street but you can't kill the culture", which had been spray-painted on a channel wall.
Otago University property services worker Graeme Mackie was lowered down to the channel wall next to the registry building by a crane and removed the graffiti with a water-blaster.
Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) president Logan Edgar said it was disappointing those responsible had resorted to graffiti when they could have spoken to OUSA or Vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne.
He said OUSA was "working to keep the scarfie times we all rate so highly and also deal with the issues the wider public have with a few of the people who take it too far".
Otago University did not respond to questions when asked about the graffiti yesterday.
Prof Hayne last week assured graduates the university was not out to "destroy the scarfie culture".
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