Officials at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are investigating recent incidents of graffiti on campus thought to incite violence.
A university spokesperson stated they aim to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the vandalism, emphasizing the need for accountability regarding what they termed “outrageous acts of vandalism, targeting and threats of violence.”
The graffiti incidents emerged amidst heightened tensions following the Israel-Hamas conflict, with activists sharing videos on social media that featured phrases including “Death to the IDF” alongside images of the defaced campus doors.
Prominently featured in these posts was MIT professor Daniela Rus, whose image appeared with the caption “your hands are red!” Rus serves as a professor of electrical engineering and computer science and leads the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT.
Rus has not yet returned requests for comment regarding the situation.
The MIT Coalition for Palestine has criticized Rus’s lab for its research, claiming it receives funding from the Israeli Ministry of Defense and has “direct applications to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
In response to these accusations, MIT defended its research collaborations, specifically projects conducted with the University of Haifa under an agreement involving the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the U.S. government. The university described the focus of the work as being on a coreset compression algorithm to enhance robotics across various sectors.
Despite MIT’s posture, the institution has faced scrutiny over its handling of campus antisemitism, particularly in light of conflicts that have surfaced since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023.
In May, for instance, Megha Vemuri, then the student president of MIT, faced repercussions after delivering a pro-Palestinian speech, resulting in her ban from the university’s commencement ceremony.
Recently, the Brandeis Center filed a federal complaint against MIT on behalf of a Jewish former PhD student and a Jewish Israeli mathematics lecturer, asserting that antisemitism permeates the campus culture.
Among those voicing concerns is Talia Khan, a PhD student in mechanical engineering and founder of the MIT Israel Alliance.
In a post on X, Khan condemned university officials for failing to address antisemitism adequately. She expressed that the recent violence incited by campus rhetoric creates an environment where researchers feel threatened.
“This violent threat was enabled by MIT’s support of terrorist-sympathizing rhetoric. Now, researchers fear being *murdered* if they go into work to do science,” Khan wrote, urging Congress to hold MIT President Sally Kornbluth and Corporation Chair Mark Gorenberg accountable.
The video circulated online also included remarks from a retracted op-ed titled “Daniela Rus, The People Demand: No More Research for Genocide,” which was critiqued by the MIT student newspaper, “The Tech,” for inaccuracies regarding Rus’s work.
The phrase “Death to the IDF” gained notoriety after public chants at a concert during the Glastonbury Festival, echoing calls for Palestinian rights while denouncing the Israeli Defense Forces.
Since service in the IDF is compulsory for Israeli citizens over 18, Khan stated that such graffiti effectively calls for violence against all Israelis.
Despite expectations for a formal condemnation from MIT leadership following these incidents, Khan reported a lack of communication addressing the vandalism and reassuring the MIT community’s safety.
“This is just about people being physically safe on campus and not being targeted, and the MIT administration is completely failing,” Khan noted on X, expressing her concerns for the safety of her peers.
In response to the concerns raised, the MIT spokesperson indicated that they are committed to identifying those responsible and enhancing security on campus without disclosing specific details about internal safety plans.
image source from：bostonglobe
