Antisemitic Messages Discovered During UMD Campus Rally: Reports

COLLEGE PARK, MD — University of Maryland officials are investigating after antisemitic messages were written on sidewalks during a pro-Palestine rally on the school's campus, according to multiple reports.

Members of the group Students for Justice in Palestine gathered Thursday for a rally on campus, during which they called for a ceasefire as Israeli forces continue to fight Hamas militants inside Gaza City, NBC Washington reported.

During the rally, at least one person used chalk to write antisemitic messages on nearby sidewalks, reports said.

"Now that I know what some people on this campus think, I don't feel as safe walking around. Especially alone and especially at night," one student told WUSA9.

In a statement provided to WUSA, University of Maryland officials confirmed the school had launched an investigation into the messages.

"We are aware of hateful, antisemitic sentiment expressed at today’s demonstration by Students for Justice in Palestine. We condemn it in no uncertain terms. The offensive actions of a few should not reflect on the vast majority of protesters who were there to peacefully express their views, but there is no place for any antisemitic message, behavior or action at the University of Maryland," the statement read.

Universities have faced mounting criticism over their response to the war and its reverberations at U.S. schools. Jewish and Muslim students on many campuses say too little is being done to keep them safe.

In response to concerns, the Biden administration warned schools and colleges that they must take immediate action to stop antisemitism and Islamophobia on their campuses, citing an “alarming rise” in threats and harassment.

In a Tuesday letter, the Education Department said there's “renewed urgency” to fight discrimination against students during the Israel-Hamas war. The letter reminds schools of their legal duty to protect students and intervene to stop harassment that disrupts their education.

“The rise of reports of hate incidents on our college campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict is deeply traumatic for students and should be alarming to all Americans," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “Antisemitism, Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred go against everything we stand for as a nation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.