The University of Rochester in New York discovered several “wanted posters” featuring the faces of Jewish faculty members spread all over campus on Sunday. No one has yet claimed responsibility.
Advertisement
“This act is disturbing, divisive, and intimidating and runs counter to our values as a university,” said university president Sarah Mangelsdorf.
Images are emerging from the University of Rochester of “Wanted” posters being plastered on the walls.
The wanted individuals? The University’s Jewish faculty.
So, what are students meant to do when they find the people on these signs? pic.twitter.com/7HRGzvC9nh
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) November 12, 2024
“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,” she said. “This act is disturbing, divisive, and intimidating and runs counter to our values as a university.”
Although no one has stepped forward to claim authorship of the deed, the anti-Jewish Jewish Voice for Peace group applauded the action, calling the posters “an attempt to shed light on administrators and professors’ support for the Israeli military’s destruction of Gaza.”
“The administration’s hasty jump to attribute these posters to antisemitism, without any proper investigation, comes across as an attempt to censor any discussion of the University of Rochester’s complicity in the Israeli army’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Antisemitism is bigotry or hatred against Jewish people on the basis of their identity and we unequivocally oppose it, and work to dismantle it along with all forms of oppression. It is not, however, antisemitic to criticize the Israeli government and military that is committing war crimes,” it said in a statement.
Advertisement
The school’s Department of Public Safety immediately began taking the posters down, highlighting the difficulty of the task in its statement.
“This process is painstaking because of the strong adhesive used to affix the posters, which in some cases caused damage to walls, floors, chalkboards, and other surfaces,” the department said.
Local outlet News10NBC reported the “wanted” posters were in relation to alleged war crimes for the war in Gaza.
“The 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,” President Mangelsdorf said.
“My first reaction was one of, just disbelief,” said Meredith Dragon, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester. “I mean, I do believe that it was targeted at the Jewish community and those who have close relationships in the Jewish community.”
“Regardless of whether somebody is Jewish or not, the kinds of things that people are accused of, you know, are still anti-Semitic tropes, whether somebody is Jewish or not,” Dragon said. “So, you know, the tone and, and the misinformation, the disinformation, and really the call to incite violence, irrespective of whether somebody is Jewish or not.”
Soon-to-be ex-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer weighed in.
Advertisement
Targeting Jewish and other professors with “WANTED” posters is rank intimidation. And antisemitic.
I am in contact with administrators at @UofR and have urged them to investigate swiftly.
Those responsible must be held fully accountable. These actions must be condemned loudly. https://t.co/kfeN2QrtaX
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 12, 2024
Schumer, who advised Columbia University staff to “keep their heads down” because the only criticism of the school’s actions came from Republicans, was skewered on Twitter.
Where were you for the last year?
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) November 13, 2024
You going to tell the administration to “keep their heads down” like you did at Columbia?
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) November 13, 2024
Schumer takes a rather relaxed view of hate crimes unless Republicans commit them.
