Columbia University Vandalized by Anti-Israel Activists Amid Rising Tensions
January 31, 2025
12:47 PM
Reading time: 3 minutes

On Wednesday afternoon, Columbia University became the target of a vandalism attack by anti-Israel activists, drawing attention to the increasingly hostile environment surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Two prominent buildings were targeted, with cement flushed down toilets and graffiti scrawled across facades. The vandals reportedly aimed to disrupt business at the School of International and Public Affairs by blocking sewage lines, as described in a manifesto sent to activist group Unity of Fields.
The graffiti included disturbing personal attacks, one of which targeted Keren Yarhi-Milo, the school’s dean, labeling her as a “killer” due to her past service with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The perpetrators also directed their criticism at Rebecca Weiner, a deputy commissioner with the New York Police Department and adjunct assistant professor at Columbia, blaming her for clearing a previous activist occupation on campus.
In their manifesto, the vandals expressed support for Palestinian children resisting Israeli forces, referencing the death of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl killed in the Gaza conflict. The graffiti stated that their actions were inspired by Rajab's death and the broader Palestinian resistance. The attackers also criticized the Columbia Business School for its alleged involvement in “violent gentrification” and its ties to Tel Aviv.
Columbia University condemned the act of vandalism, calling it "unacceptable and abhorrent." The university’s administration made it clear that such acts of harassment and intimidation would not be tolerated. Despite this, the activist group Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) supported the vandalism, arguing it was a necessary form of protest.