UR investigates vandalism tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

On late Sunday night, “Wanted” posters of University of Rochester leadership, faculty and employees were plastered across campus buildings on walls, floors, and chalkboards. The vandalism, tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has shocked many at the university.

The posters featured photos of those university community members along with text criticizing either their handling of the school’s response to the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza and Lebanon or their alleged ties to the Israeli war effort and settlement movement.

“I want to be as clear as I can that the University of Rochester strongly denounces the recent display of ‘Wanted’ posters targeting senior University leaders and members of our faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees,” UR president Sarah Mangelsdorf said in a statement late Tuesday afternoon. “This act is disturbing, divisive and intimidating and runs counter to our values as a university. 

“Furthermore, several of those depicted appear to have been targeted because they are members of our Jewish community. We view this as antisemitism, which will not be tolerated at our University. This isn’t who we are. This goes against everything we stand for and we have an obligation to reject it.”

Mangelsdorf said UR’s Department of Public Safety is leading an ongoing investigation and “exhausting all available resources to collect evidence and hold those involved accountable for their actions.”

Several subjects of the posters are Jewish, prompting concerns of antisemitism from the university’s Hillel chapter. The university’s official statement made no mention of the incident’s ties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

“Posters and displays affixed in this manner are unacceptable and considered to be vandalism to university property,” said Quchee Collins, UR’s newly appointed chief of public safety in the first statement issued by UR on the incident. ”Any activities, including the placement of these posters, that disrupt our normal operations and classroom instruction will not be tolerated. Additionally, it seems that the goal of this vandalism is to intimidate members of our university community, which is an action that runs counter to our Meliora values.”

In a statement to UR Hillel members and their families, Joy Getnick, the chapter’s executive director and one of the posters’ subjects, said the organization has connected with the Rochester Jewish Federation, the Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International and the Secure Community Network to determine its next steps.

Getnick said she hopes the university’s investigation will lead to accountability “coupled with meaningful education and healing.”

“They disproportionately singled out Jewish faculty and staff, and used language that spreads harmful, antisemitic ideas about Jewish people and Jewish indigeneity,” she said of the posters.

No group has claimed responsibility for the actions. The Rochester Beacon reached out to UR’s chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, two groups that have spearheaded the protests on campus. SJP did not respond to the request but JVP issued a statement.

“While we do not know who put up these posters or the intention behind it, we view these posters as an attempt to shed light on administrators and professors’ support for the Israeli military’s destruction of Gaza. These posters highlighted Jewish and non-Jewish administrators and professors and explicitly condemned their support for the Israeli military and government,” the statement reads.

The posters echo some students’ sentiments on the violence in the Middle East region. Demonstrations, sit-ins and encampments since last October have called for UR to cut ties with Israel both financially and academically and to increase ties to Palestinian higher education institutions. These protests have continued into the current semester.

The university has exposure to $7.8 million in Israel-related investments through its Long Term Investment Pool, according to minutes from a February meeting of the school’s Ethical Investment Advisory Committee. Of 15 companies flagged for potential dealings with the Israeli government and military, UR had $259,000 of exposure to eight of them through its stakes in pooled funds it has no discretion to exit. The $7.8 million represented 0.2 percent of the university’s Long Term Investment Pool.

“Our message remains clear: We demand complete divestment from Israeli institutions and corporations complicit in the oppression of Palestinians,” UR’s SJP chapter said in a statement following a demonstration in October. “Every dollar and every resource funneled into these ties perpetuates violence and injustice.”

Amid these wider debates, the university is investigating the alleged vandalism.

“Our priority as a university is to maintain a respectful and safe community for everyone, and we appreciate everyone’s engagement in supporting that expectation. We will inform the community as we continue our investigation,” UR’s Collins said.

Photos in this article were provided to the Rochester Beacon.

Rochester Beacon contributing writer Justin O’Connor contributed to this article. Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor. The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. 

See “Leave a Reply” below to discuss on this post. Comments of a general nature may be submitted to the Letters page by emailing  [email protected]. 

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