Antisemitic graffiti was found on UC Berkeley’s campus Tuesday, with the words “No Jew Go Away” written in red marker on a door in the MLK student union building. A photograph of the graffiti was posted to Instagram by Associated Students senator Shay Cohen.
“We know that this is deeply upsetting to many in our community, and our first concern is to make sure that everyone feels supported,” Cohen wrote on Instagram. “Please do not hesitate to reach out directly to our office or other leaders in the campus Jewish community.”
UC Berkeley spokesperson Dan Mogulof said the university and the campus police were aware of the incident and that other relevant personnel and departments had been informed, including Ethan Katz, associate professor in the Center for Jewish Studies.
“There is no way of knowing if the person or persons responsible were affiliated with the campus,” Mogulof said.
According to campus police, an unspecified anti-Asian message was found nearby in the same handwriting. There are no suspects.
Cohen, a sophomore, was the author of a UC senate resolution denouncing antisemitism that in November failed to earn unanimous support when six student senators boycotted the vote. In October, Cohen spoke at a Jewish student forum organized by the S.F.-based Jewish Community Relations Council. The event was held in response to the controversy over the decision in August by nine Berkeley Law student affinity groups to ban Zionist speakers.
“There is no such thing as a ‘Jewish-free zone at Berkeley,’” Cohen said at the forum, referring to an inflammatory L.A. Jewish Journal op-ed that helped bring national attention to the issue. “But that is just a technicality. By saying Zionists are not welcome here, you are saying Jewish students are not welcome here.”
At Stanford last weekend, a photo circulated of a student reading “Mein Kampf,” Hitler’s infamous manifesto. The public posting on the Snapchat social media platform led to the filing of a “protected identity harm” report, a system that the university uses to address incidents in which students feel attacked due to their identity.
“What happened recently is about relationships, not books. We are working with students to reflect on their behaviors with accountability, integrity, and compassion,” said Rabbi Laurie Hahn Tapper, Stanford associate dean for religious and spiritual life.
Early in the fall 2022 semester, a hate crime inquiry was launched at the university after a mezuzah was “torn off” a student residence shortly after Rosh Hashanah. In October, Stanford formally apologized for enforcing quotas on the admission of Jewish students in the 1950s.