Four unidentified students face counts of felony criminal mischief after law enforcement allege that they hung “Wanted” posters targeting Jewish faculty at the University of Rochester, N.Y.
The posters featured the faces of professors and other staff members using the look of FBI-style “Most Wanted” fliers, including text such as “Misuse of Power and Racism,” “Abuse of Power,” “Ethnic Cleansing” and “Displacement of Palestinians” above the images.
On Tuesday, the university released a statement from Quchee Collins, associate vice president for the Department of Public Safety and the school’s chief public safety officer. “While I regret that this deeply disturbing incident took place on our campus, I am incredibly satisfied that through a thorough investigation, we were able to identify those who are allegedly responsible,” he said.
He also explained the absence of hate crime charges.
“DPS investigators collected all of the necessary evidence and made all of the needed inquiries to prompt a proper evaluation of this incident as a hate crime,” Collins said. “It’s our current understanding that these actions do not meet the legal threshold for being a hate crime, according to the feedback we received from various law-enforcement authorities who ultimately make the final determination.”
A fifth suspect remains under investigation. University officials reported that the adhesives used to hang the posters damaged walls, floors and chalkboards.
One of the posters targeted Joy Getnick, executive director of the college’s Hillel chapter.
“We appreciate the university and law enforcement’s quick and thorough investigation into the wanted posters,” she told JNS. “These deeply disturbing posters spread harmful antisemitic ideas about the Jewish people and Israel in an attempt to sow fear.”
Getnick added that “we hope this is an opportunity for the university to reflect on what is needed to ensure that UR is a place where Jewish life can fully and safely thrive.”
