Unidentified individuals sprayed graffiti appearing to relate to the Israel-Hamas war on the Rafik B. Hariri Building Oct. 16.
According to an email that Rosemary Kilkenny (LAW ’87), the university’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, and Jay Gruber, the associate vice president of public safety, sent to community members, three individuals wearing black sprayed graffiti on the building’s south entrance at around 5:09 a.m.
The graffiti follows a similar act of vandalism Sept. 20, when a still-unidentified individual sprayed graffiti on the John Carroll statue and the temporary “Hoya Saxa” sign on Copley Lawn. The graffiti also appeared to relate to the Israel-Hamas war.
“We condemn this act and are coordinating with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in the investigation of this crime,” Kilkenny and Gruber wrote in the email. “This incident, and a similar act that occurred on campus on September 20, 2024, are unacceptable and are contrary to our values as a University community. Anyone found responsible will be held accountable.”
By 9:36 a.m. Oct. 16, facility and grounds workers had removed most of the graffiti.
The Instagram account @georgetownintifada, which says it is not associated with Georgetown or any student or student organization, posted a video and pictures that appear to show the individuals spray-painting the walls and columns of the entrance to Hariri with the words “No war criminals on campus. US Army = terror org” and an upside-down red triangle, a pro-Palestinian symbol.
The account posted the video with @gmuintifada and @gwintifada, similar accounts at George Mason University and George Washington University, at approximately 8 a.m. Oct. 16.
According to the account, the graffiti was a response to the scheduled appearance of General Joseph Votel, the former head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the U.S. military unit with responsibility for the Middle East that has been a major presence in military operations in the region, for an event featuring senior government officials and defense industry executives at the McDonough School of Business (MSB) Oct. 16.
“On Wednesday morning, autonomous actors left a message for General Joseph Votel ahead of his appearance at the McDonough School of Business “Business of Leadership” event, featuring war profiteers,” the account wrote in its posts. “Votel, the former head of CENTCOM, is not welcome on our campus, nor are the other genocidal panelists.”
“Just days after the zionist entity besieged northern Gaza, burning hospital patients alive, war criminal Joseph Votel, former commander of CENTCOM- one of the bloodiest branches of the US empire- is speaking at a panel today featuring several other government officials and executives within the war industry,” the account wrote in one of its posts “As head of CENTCOM, Votel developed deep ties with the zionist entity, meeting with IOF Chief of Staff in April 2018.”
In the past week, Israel’s military, known as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) but referred to by protestors as the Israel Occupation Forces (IOF), has launched increased military offensives in Northern Gaza, blocking humanitarian aid to the region and killing at least 350 Palestinians.
“Fuck Joseph Votel. Glory to the resistance,” the account wrote in the video of the individuals spraying the graffiti onto the building’s walls.
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