Vandals use spray paint, air horns, fake blood, prompting condemnation from school
Pro-Palestinian activists vandalized the homes of at least four Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents members Friday, accusing them of “genocide.”
At two of the homes, the vandals spray-painted messages reading “Regents are complicit in genocide” and “UW blood on your hands” on the driveways, Madison police Sgt. Matthew Baker said, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Baker also said the protesters splattered artificial blood on some of the properties and posted letters with a set of demands on the doors.
Further, they used air horns and left them on the properties. A neighbor to one of the regents was awoken at 3:40 a.m. by an air horn.
Ring camera footage from one home showed six people wearing all black arriving on bicycles. Police are analyzing the footage to determine where the protesters came from.
“They were probably masked and hiding their identities. But oftentimes we can trace that video back to a meetup location or a gas station, even where they would buy the spray paint or something,” Baker said.
In response to the incidents, police are increasing patrols at all residences linked to members of the Board of Regents.
UW spokesperson Mark Pitsch condemned the vandalism in a statement, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
“This kind of conduct is not free expression or protected speech; it’s dangerous, unlawful, and unacceptable,” Pitsch wrote.
“We have contacted the authorities and are working closely with them,” he wrote.
He also urged “anyone with information regarding these illegal activities” to “contact local law enforcement authorities and the UW-Madison Police Department.”
The vandalism follows months of escalating protests by anti-Israel activists at UW-Madison, who have called on the university to divest from companies connected to the Israeli government.
In April 2024, students established a pro-Palestinian encampment on Library Mall, which remained in place for two weeks.
Similar incidents have occurred at other universities in recent months.
Last month, vandals upset by the sale of a University of Minnesota property to a potential missile testing company targeted five members of the Board of Regents, spray painting the words “no missiles” on several of their homes, The College Fix previously reported.
In addition, University of Michigan regents and some top executives are now receiving 24-hour security following several threats and harassment from anti-Israel protesters.
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IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: View of Bascom Hall on University of Wisconsin Madison campus; EQRoy/Shutterstock