Cornell University was defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti reading “f**k Israel” just days after a professor who described a Hamas attack as “exciting” and “energetic” took a leave of absence.
Spray-painted messages such as “Zionism equals racism” and “Israel is fascist” appeared on the sidewalks of the Cornell University campus in upstate New York on Wednesday morning.
The vandalism occurred amid a heated controversy on campus surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, following the leave of absence of professor Russell Rickford following his comments on the brutal Hamas attack.
The graffiti, with messages such as “Israel is fascist,” “Zionism equals racism,” “Free Palestine” and “F**k Israel,” was first spotted just before 9 a.m. but has since been cleaned up by university staff.
It is unclear who painted the hideous messages in red and white on Campus Road, which is known to see heavy foot and car traffic throughout the day.
Spray-painted messages such as “Zionism equals racism” and “Israel is fascist” appeared on the sidewalks of the Cornell University campus in upstate New York on Wednesday.
The graffiti, with messages such as “Israel is fascist,” “Zionism equals racism,” “Free Palestine” and “F**k Israel,” was first spotted sometime before 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
The anti-Semitic messages in red and white, which have now been cleaned by university staff, were reportedly painted in one of the busiest parts of campus for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic
A Cornell professor with a history of radical left views called Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel “exciting” and “enervating” during a pro-Palestinian rally on October 15. He apologized on October 18, but announced on October 20 that he was taking a leave of absence
The aggressive graffiti comes after Rickford told an Oct. 15 rally in the downtown New York shopping district of Ithaca Commons that he was excited about Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,400 Israelis.
His words were met with anger, and Rickford tried to explain – and doubled down on his outrageous views, before taking a leave of absence.
He said he condemned the killing of civilians, but said he was angry about “the injustice and hypocrisy of Western support in celebrating Israeli war crimes, and the equating of any form of Palestinian resistance with terrorism.”
Rickford later apologized, saying on October 18 that he regretted “the terrible choice of words I used,” calling his language “reprehensible.”
It later emerged that Rickford had withdrawn from teaching his history class for the remainder of the semester the Cornell Review confirmed that he has gone on leave.
The Cornell University spokesperson said: “Professor Russell Rickford has requested and received permission to take a leave of absence from the university.”
Cornell’s history department referred to the university’s statement condemning the professor when asked for comment on Rickford’s status.
Tamika Nunley, associate professor of history, will replace him.
“Professor Rickford is taking a leave of absence and I will assume teaching responsibilities for this course for the remainder of the semester,” she wrote on Oct. 20 in an email obtained by The Cornell Review.
Rickford is an associate professor of history and, according to his Twitter bio, a “historian of the black radical tradition”
Claudia Tenney, a Republican congresswoman whose district borders Cornell, said Rickford’s leave was insufficient and he should resign.
“Since I sent a letter to Cornell President Martha Pollack demanding that Professor Russell Rickford resign over his anti-Semitic comments, he has taken a leave of absence,” she wrote on X.
“Cornell should go one step further and fire him for his pro-Hamas statements!”
But others have thrown their support behind Rickford.
Five members of the Cornell University chapter of the AAUP – American Association of University Professors – wrote a letter to The Cornell Daily Sun defend him.
“Professor Rickford’s extramural speech at the October 15 meeting falls squarely within the protection of academic freedom to comment on political matters,” they wrote.
“The fact that his speech offended or shocked does not detract from its protection, as academic freedom is most needed for speech that others find offensive.”
They pointed out that Rickford’s words were spoken off campus, and he apologized.
On October 18, Rickford sent a letter to The Cornell Daily Sun and said he deeply regretted his words.
“I apologize for the terrible choice of words I used in part of a speech intended to emphasize the African American, Jewish and Palestinian traditions of resistance to oppression,” Rickford noted.
“I recognize that some of the language I used was objectionable and did not reflect my values.”
He apologized for “the pain my reckless comments have caused my family, my students, my colleagues and many others during this time of suffering.”
Rickford concluded: “I… unequivocally oppose racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, militarism, fundamentalism and all systems that dehumanize, divide and oppress people.”
The five academics concluded: ‘Academic freedom applies regardless of point of view. Faculty from across the political spectrum can express strong opinions in their teaching, research, extracurricular speeches, and university governance activities.
‘The university administration must fully implement its obligation to respect and protect the academic freedom of faculty at all times, and perhaps especially when faculty face backlash and threats.’
Tamika Nunley, associate professor of history, will replace Rickford in his absence
Rickford is known for his pro-Palestinian activism and has been described by the local newspaper as ‘no stranger to controversial comments’.
He told the Ithaca Commons meeting: “Hamas has challenged the monopoly on violence.
“And in those first few hours, even as heinous acts were committed, many of which we would only learn about later, there are many Gazans of good will, many conscientious Palestinians, who abhor violence, just like you, just like me too . Who abhor targeting civilians, just like you, just like me.
‘Those who could breathe could breathe again for the first time in years.
‘It was exciting. It gave energy. And if they weren’t excited by this challenge to the monopoly on violence, by this shift in the balance of power, they wouldn’t be human. I was excited.’
He added: “What has Hamas done? Hamas has shifted the balance of power. Hamas has shattered the illusion of invincibility. That’s what they did. You don’t have to be a Hamas supporter to recognize that.
“Hamas has changed the terms of the debate. Israeli officials are right: nothing will be the same again.”
An aerial photo shows the bodies of victims of the Hamas attack on the Kfar Aza kibbutz
Hamas has left a trail of destruction at a series of kibbutzim near the Gaza border, including children’s beds soaked in blood
Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate near a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence on October 7
When university president Martha Pollack was asked about his comments the next day, she said she was “sick of statements glorifying the evil of Hamas terrorism.”
She added, “Any members of our community who have made such statements do not speak for Cornell; In fact, they contradict everything we stand for at Cornell.
“There is no justification or moral equivalent for these violent and abhorrent acts.”
The next day, October 17, a second statement was sent, condemning Rickford by name.
“Yesterday we learned of comments Professor Russell Rickford made this weekend at an off-campus meeting where he described Hamas terrorist attacks as ‘exciting,'” Pollack and board chairman Kraig H. Kayser wrote .
“This is a reprehensible comment that shows no respect for humanity whatsoever.”
Pollack and Kayser added, “The university is taking this incident seriously and is currently reviewing it in accordance with our procedures.”
Universities and campuses across the country have become hotbeds of anger after the October 7 attack.