George Washington University (GWU) President Ellen Granberg condemned the projections of “Glory to our martyrs” and other anti-Israel slogans onto George Washington University’s (GWU) library on October 24.
According to photos posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, by Stop Antisemitism, other slogans included, “Divestment from Zionist genocide now” and “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free” on the Gelman Library; the library is named after Melvin and Estelle Gelman, both of whom were Jewish philanthropists. Estelle Gelman served on the board of the United States Holocaust Museum, among other Jewish nonprofits.
“Students are projecting horrifying messages onto a school library building glorifying Hamas terrorists that beheaded babies, raped teenage girls, and murdered 1400+ people,” Stop Antisemitism wrote on X. “We call on President [Ellen Granberg] to immediately expel those involved.”
George Washington University – students are projecting horrifying messages onto a school library building glorifying Hamas terrorists that beheaded babies, raped teenage girls, and murdered 1400+ people.
We call on President @PresidentofGW to immediately expel those involved.… pic.twitter.com/tecz0R7zF2
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 25, 2023
In a subsequent post, Stop Antisemitism showed footage purportedly showing four students behind the projection arguing with police and refusing to move.
The four students responsible for the pro terrorist light show are now being confronted by police.
They refuse to move and continue to argue with police.
Unbelievable. https://t.co/qKtyzdHHVI pic.twitter.com/hkbCI1bYu2
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 25, 2023
The GW Hatchet, the university’s student newspaper, reported that the four students were from the university’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter and they put 10 statements on the library in the span of around two-and-a-half hours. Among the statements were “GW the blood of Palestine is on your hands” and “2,000 Palestinian children were murdered by ‘Israel’ in the last two weeks,” per the Hatchet. The student paper also reported that the four SJP members were ordered by police to shut down their projection, and they eventually did so following “a tense conversation” with police and university officials that lasted about 15 minutes.
“Last night, multiple images were projected onto GW’s Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library by a group of individuals, including GW students, acting in violation of our university policy,” Granberg said in an October 25 statement. “They do not speak on behalf of the George Washington University. These images included antisemitic phrases that have caused fear and anxiety for many members of our Jewish and broader GW community, and we wholly denounce this type of conduct. Further, these statements do not contribute to the environment of rigorous debate and discussion that is expected at GW.”
She added that the “images were removed as quickly as possible, but I know this does not heal the deep and painful wounds it has opened across our campuses. As our university stated this morning, GW is reviewing this incident and will take appropriate steps in accordance with university policies.”
Earlier that day, the university had released a statement saying that the projections were “unauthorized” and acknowledged the “ the distress, hurt, and pain this has caused for many members of our community.” This initial statement received backlash on social media for failing to mention antisemitism.
Why didn't you use the words "Jewish" … "Jews" …. "antisemitic" … "antisemitism" even one time?
— Sia Kordestani (@SiaKordestani) October 25, 2023
Lame! Why can’t you also put in there that the statements projected on our walls were repulsive. That glorying the martyrs who are murderers, rapists, torturers, and kidnappers, is shameful.
— Todd Richman (@toddrichman) October 25, 2023
The projections received national attention, including from members of Congress. According to the Hatchet, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) said on the Senate floor on Wednesday, “At George Washington University here in the nation’s capital, student activists projected antisemitic messages on the side of a campus building named for a pair of Jewish benefactors. They issued a call to free Palestine from the river to the sea. For anyone unfamiliar with Israel’s geography, that is a call for the destruction of the Jewish state.”
Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) posted on X, “Hamas brutally murdered, raped, & kidnapped more than 1,400 innocent people, including Americans. Now, there are messages being displayed at George Washington University glorifying terrorism. [Granberg] must explicitly condemn Hamas & act against terrorist sympathizers.”
Hamas brutally murdered, raped, & kidnapped more than 1,400 innocent people, including Americans.
Now, there are messages being displayed at George Washington University glorifying terrorism.@PresidentofGW must explicitly condemn Hamas & act against terrorist sympathizers. https://t.co/4SOSS6Uks8
— Rep Josh Gottheimer (@RepJoshG) October 25, 2023
Jewish Insider obtained a letter from a bipartisan group of members from the House of Representatives on October 25––all of whom are GWU alumni––who said they were disgusted at the projections on the library. “The glorification of Hamas terrorists and calls for the destruction of Israel is vile and antisemitic,” the letter, addressed to Granberg, stated. “GW must condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms and take immediate steps to protect its Jewish students.” The letter also noted that almost 25% of the students at GWU are Jewish and they “fear for their lives and do not feel safe. GW must make clear to its student body that this despicable behavior won’t be tolerated, and an investigation must be launched without delay.”
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt posted on X, “It happened last week at @nyuniversity too. This effort to intimidate Jewish students is absolutely appalling — but it’s the indifference of [GWU] and the lack of leadership at so many other universities that’s even more painful.” Greenblatt’s post was on Tuesday evening, before Granberg’s statement was published.
It happened last week at @nyuniversity too. This effort to intimidate Jewish students is absolutely appalling — but it’s the indifference of @GWtweets and the lack of leadership at so many other universities that’s even more painful. https://t.co/YgAr53bCIf
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) October 25, 2023
“Time to shut checkbooks when a university lacks the moral decency to stop the promotion of genocide of the Jewish people,” the Simon Wiesenthal Center declared on X.
Estelle + Melvin Gelman paid for the @gelmanlibrary at @GWtweets. Time to shut checkbooks when a university lacks the moral decency to stop the promotion of genocide of the Jewish people. https://t.co/hxmcM9l6tu
— Simon Wiesenthal Center (@simonwiesenthal) October 25, 2023
Sabrina Soffer, a student at GWU, posted on X that after the projections were shut down, “students hung around speaking with the police and amongst themselves. Some were verbally harassed and threatened. I saw a few crying. Students don’t feel safe and feel like ‘they have to leave DC.’” “This is a severe and pervasive situation,” she added. “It interferes with our education. Jewish students fear going to class. They can hardly focus. Now they have to worry about physical safety. Why are my family members trembling in bomb shelters in Israel asking me if I’m safe? Absurd.”
Soffer continued on X: “The tragedy of it all is that those glorifying Hamas hurt the Palestinian people most. The Palestinian people deserve better advocates – those who aren’t Israel hating ideologues but who care for true Palestinian freedom & peace. Antisemitism NEVER pays. #FreePalestineFromHamas”
Eventually the scene was cleared while students hung around speaking with the police and amongst themselves. Some were verbally harassed and threatened. I saw a few crying.
Students don’t feel safe and feel like “they have to leave DC.”
— Sabrina Soffer (@sabrinasoff) October 25, 2023
This is a severe and pervasive situation. It interferes with our education. Jewish students fear going to class. They can hardly focus. Now they have to worry about physical safety.
Why are my family members trembling in bomb shelters in Israel asking me if I’m safe?
Absurd.— Sabrina Soffer (@sabrinasoff) October 25, 2023
The tragedy of it all is that those glorifying Hamas hurt the Palestinian people most. The Palestinian people deserve better advocates – those who aren’t Israel hating ideologues but who care for true Palestinian freedom & peace. Antisemitism NEVER pays. #FreePalestineFromHamas
— Sabrina Soffer (@sabrinasoff) October 25, 2023
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