Students arrested for graffiti swastikas set to be released today
Students were arrested this Monday and are set to be released today.
School officials at Case Western Reserve University, an elite university in Ohio, are investigating after students spray-painted antisemitic symbols like swastikas and “Free Palestine” into the pavement, buildings, and walkways across campus.
According to journalist Jack Shea, CWRU has since hired restoration crews to help remove the graffiti. Members of the CWRU Law School Students for Justice in Palestine club deny involvement with the graffiti, but just two days ago, said club was demanding the arrested students be released.
SJP stands firmly to "denounce the university's ongoing racist targeting of Palestinian students and those who speak up for Palestine”, one student said.
Three students were arrested on Monday, according to CWRW Law School’s chapter of SJP. The students charged with vandalism have been detained for three days and two nights so far, according to an SJP post today at noon.
“The Cuyahoga County Jail is known as one of the worst jails in the nation. We stand in solidarity with ALL who have been subjected to the inhumane and unsanitary conditions of the Cuyahoga County Jail,” they say.
Adam Saar, president of the Jewish Student Union at CWRU that antisemitism has been unrelenting, and that “the worst thing is that it just stopped being shocking anymore”.
“There was also red paint all over a main walkway on campus as well as many other defaced surfaces, clearly trying to bring intimidation to our campus and fear into the students here at Case," Saar added.
A junior at the school, who identifies as Palestinian, rationalized the graffiti.
“That's not my way of going about it, but I completely understand why somebody would want to do that," he said. "I have family members who have been affected, so I could see why somebody would rationalize that. Their intentions (sic) is definitely to just be seen."
CWRU officials condemned the graffiti. They have made no substantive comments about the arrested students. Earlier this year, in April, over 20 students were detained by police at a pro-Palestine rally. The undergraduate SJP chapter was suspended. Only the chapter affiliated with the CWRU Law School remains publicly active.
This is an ongoing story. Students are waiting to be released from jail and to be identified to the public.
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