Anonymous protesters covered the University of Rochester with "wanted" posters targeting Jewish professors, accusing them of complicity in alleged war crimes related to Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a report.
The hundreds of posters, which appeared overnight across the New York university, featured accusations of racism, ethnic cleansing, and supporting the Israeli military's actions in Gaza. They primarily targeted Jewish faculty members, staff, and administrators, WHEC reported.
The incident follows previous acts of antisemitism on campus, such as swastikas and hate speech found earlier in the year.
In response, University President Sarah Mangelsdorf condemned the act as antisemitic, emphasizing that it contradicted the school's core values.
"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. This act is disturbing, divisive and intimidating and runs counter to our values as a university," Mangelsdorf said.
The university's department of public safety sparked an investigation, leading to political figures, including U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, voicing their outrage.
"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," Schumer wrote on X.
Jewish groups on campus, including the Hillel organization, denounced the posters as an attempt to spread hate and intimidation.
"These deeply disturbing posters, which disproportionately singled out Jewish faculty and staff, spread harmful antisemitic ideas about the Jewish people and about Israel. They further the spread of antisemitic hate on our campus, in an attempt to sow fear," Hillel wrote.
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