What happened
On November 8, 2023, an Israeli flag was defaced outside the University of Utah’s Office for Global Engagement in Gardner Commons. The flag was on display along with many other international flags and enclosed in a plexiglass protective covering. Multiple scribble marks in ink were made on the flag’s covering and no other international flags in the display were defaced.
What is being done
The incident was reported to the University of Utah Police Department for investigation and the individual(s) responsible for the vandalism could not be identified. If you have any information related to this incident that may help, you can report the information using the Office of the Dean of Students’ website, report to the University of Utah Police by calling 801-585-2677, or by filling out the silent witness form.
What to do
Be vigilant and speak up. Stopping this type of behavior takes collective action, and bystander intervention efforts are one way of combatting conduct that can wrongfully be seen as a prank or joke, but can cause real harm. To learn more about how to incorporate bystander intervention into your toolkit, visit here.
If you see an instance of vandalism, report it to a campus official and/or campus police. Take photos or screenshots of the incident. Do not alter or remove the item, as this will make it more difficult for the incident to be evaluated.
Support and resources
The Israeli flag also includes the Star of David, which is a cultural and religious symbol of both Jewish identity and the religion of Judaism. This incident is among many being experienced by Jewish community members in higher education around the country, as incidents of antisemitism are on the rise. Earlier this year, the University shared a Q&A on antisemitism as part of an ongoing series on discrimination and how to prevent it.
It is important to recognize that while some incidents of vandalism and bias may not feel significant, they can be harmful to any community who has experienced cultural/religious persecution, violence and trauma, and repeated discrimination. We encourage those who have been impacted by this incident to seek support.
Visit Campus Resources | #SAFEU (utah.edu) for additional safety and support resources.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Ana Ascencio, RBIRT Manager, at RBIresponse@utah.edu.
The U is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion
Our work at the University of Utah is built on a foundation of our shared humanity and responsibilities to each other as a community. We strive to ensure that all our staff, students, trainees, faculty, and other community members are able to find a place of safety and belonging as part of our campus community. This includes recent calls from President Taylor Randall and university leadership to support one another, respect differences of opinion, and uniformly denounce violence and all acts of hate and bias.
Read University of Utah leaders’ message to campus.
Read a Letter to the Community from Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Student Affairs; and Global Engagement.