The home of University of Michigan president Santa Ono and the sidewalk were vandalized Monday, with anti-Israel messages spray-painted at the location on the first anniversary of Hamas terrorists’ attack against Israel.
The words “intifada” and “coward” were spray-painted on the property in West Bloomfield, Michigan, according to The Associated Press. “Intifada” is an Arabic term for the Palestinian uprising against Israel.
West Bloomfield police did not identify the owner of the home, but the university acknowledged that Ono is the owner. This house is separate from his official campus residence.
The home of the university’s chief investment officer, Erik Lundberg, was also vandalized on Monday, according to The Detroit News.
A West Bloomfield, Mich., police officer walks past vandalism spray-painted on the home of University of Michigan president Santa Ono, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in West Bloomfield. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)
This, as Ono and the university’s governing board have been criticized by pro-Palestinian demonstrators for not seeking to cut all investment linked to Israel.
The university said it has no direct investments and less than $15 million placed with funds that might include companies in Israel, which is less than 0.1% of the total endowment.
The words “intifada” and “coward” were spray-painted on the property in West Bloomfield, Michigan. (Getty Images)
Mark Bernstein, a member of the university’s Board of Regents, said the vandalism was “yet another assaultive act of intimidation by the antisemitic mob.”
Last spring, demonstrators wearing masks set up tents and placed fake bloody corpses outside the home of a Board of Regents member.
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This house is separate from Ono’s official campus residence. (Getty Images)
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An anti-Israel encampment set up on university grounds was cleared by police in May. Some protesters were charged with trespassing or resisting police at the encampment.
This comes a year after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against Israel, which led to retaliatory action from Israel’s military and sparked the still-ongoing war in the region. Roughly 1,200 Israelis and more than 250 hostages, including some Americans, were abducted during the attacks. Many of them were released, rescued or killed, while dozens remain in Hamas’ custody.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.