Two antisemitic incidents near Ohio State University within 24 hours

The Ohio State University (OSU) community has been grappling with the impact of two recent antisemitic incidents near campus. Acting President Peter J. Mohler addressed the university in a letter on Friday, expressing strong condemnation of these acts and a commitment to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment.

"The university has no tolerance for acts of hatred or violence," Mohler stated emphatically in his November 10, 2023, letter. "Antisemitism is despicable and has no place in our community."

Violent assaults and acts of vandalism

According to the letter, the first of these incidents was an assault on two students "near 15th Avenue and High Street."

One of the students was treated at the Wexner Medical Center.

The second incident, a vandalism act at the Hillel center, was detailed in a Facebook post by Hillel of Ohio State University:

"Earlier today, two people entered the OSU Hillel Wexner Jewish Student Center building and started taking photos and vandalizing Israeli flags in the lobby, and shouting anti-Israel statements and threats."

The post also highlighted the swift response, including alerting law enforcement and providing video recordings from security cameras, to assist in the investigation. Hillel's statement continued, "The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority – first, foremost, and always. We appreciate law enforcement’s quick response and stand ready to assist in the investigation in any way."

Mohler assured in his statement that the university is actively working with the Columbus Division of Police in investigating both incidents. While it's not yet clear if Ohio State students were involved, the university said it was poised to take strong action against the perpetrators as per university policy and legal frameworks.