University of Washington president calls for pro-Palestinian tent camp to break up after antisemitic graffiti found on campus

After protests escalated – with “offensive graffiti across multiple buildings all over campus, some quite clearly both antisemitic and violent” – the school’s president is calling again for the voluntary dismantling of a Pro-Palestinian encampment on the Seattle campus.

Pro-Palestinian encampments have been cleared from more US college campuses as school officials have called in law enforcement in recent weeks to quell mounting demonstrations over the institutions’ ties to Israel amid its military action in Gaza. Here are the latest developments: After protests escalated at the University of Washington – with “offensive graffiti across multiple buildings all over campus, some quite clearly both antisemitic and violent” – the school’s president is calling again for the voluntary dismantling of a pro-Palestinian encampment on the Seattle campus. Students and faculty on Wednesday discovered the graffiti, which has “creat(ed) an unwelcome and fearful environment for many students, faculty and staff, especially those who are Jewish,” President Ana Mari Cauce said later that day in a statement, calling the situation “untenable.” Cauce asked for the tent camp to break up, echoing her entreaty last week to demonstrators “to dismantle the encampment voluntarily for everyone’s safety.” “Much to my dismay, given the relatively cordial tone of many of our discussions, the representatives also said the new graffiti is an intentional escalation to compel the University to agree to their demands,” she said Wednesday, adding university officials “have engaged sincerely and openly.” Among protesters’ “escalating demands” is “a new department that would have an ‘anti-Zionist’ litmus test for faculty hiring,” Cauce said in the statement. “Many of these demands, especially the most recent, are contrary to academic freedom and/or to state or federal law.”