Spray paint on the main sidewalk of Campus Road, depicting messages such as “Zionism = Racism” and “Israel is Fascist” appeared on Wednesday morning.
Some time before 9:00 AM, the graffiti began on Campus Road sidewalks between Olin and Sage Halls on campus. As-yet unknown perpetrators painted messages in red and white spray paint and displayed the following messages along the primary thoroughfare: “Israel is Fascist,” “Zionism = Racism,” “Free Palestine,” and “F*ck Israel.”
At this time, it is unclear who or which organization participated in this act of vandalism upon Cornell’s campus. Under NYS Penal Law § 145.60, the making and displaying of graffiti is a Class A misdemeanor.
Campus Road is one of the busiest sections of campus, joining the Engineering Quad and Ho Plaza. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic on this main stretch ensure that these messages will receive immense visibility.
Students also found graffiti of similar messages on Ho Plaza near the Cornell Store.
This incident comes amidst several weeks of on-campus controversy between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine students and faculty. Headlined by viral, controversial comments by history professor Russell Rickford, the Israel-Palestine struggle has come to Ithaca.
Rickford has served as a lightning rod for campus discourse, with pro-Israel students and faculty demanding his firing and pro-Palestine students and faculty supporting him. The Review confirmed that Rickford has gone on leave, but the controversy has not left with him.
The graffiti is the latest in an ongoing war for public opinion between the two sides that has hitherto included posters, rallies, and vigils.
