'Clear act of intimidation': University of Michigan Jewish regent’s house, car vandalized

The home and vehicle of a Jewish University of Michigan regent were damaged and vandalized by anti-Israel activists on Monday in the latest incident targeting the homes of the institution’s Board of Regents, according to university representatives.

Jordan Acker recounted on Instagram how he, his wife, and young daughters awoke on early Monday morning to the sound of objects being thrown through their home’s front window. Acker ran downstairs and outside to see that the family’s vehicle had been graffitied with the slogans “divest” and “free Palestine.” According to photographs published by UMich Public Affairs, the red inverted triangle symbol used in Hamas propaganda to denote the targeting of enemies was also scrawled on the car.

“This is the third time that I – and now my family – have been the target of these [Ku Klux] Klan-like tactics,” Acker said on social media. “We all need to call out this cowardly act attacking my family and my home for what it truly is – terrorism. And like we always do in this great nation when we’re confronted by terrorism – I will not let fear win.”

Acker, who has been a target for anti-Israel activists demanding that the university divest from any companies in business with Israel and boycott Israeli academic institutions, said Monday that his resolve had only hardened to “do the right thing.”

The university said in a statement that the act was a “clear act of antisemitic intimidation.”

“The University of Michigan condemns these criminal acts in the strongest possible terms,” said UMich Public Affairs. “This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We call on our community to come together in solidarity and to firmly reject all forms of bigotry and violence.”

UMich President Santa Ono said on social media that the “vile” incident was an affront “to all that we stand for as a university and to our deepest values as a community."

The Jewish Democratic Council of America issued a statement of support for Acker, who is a member of the group’s New Leader Council, demanding that law enforcement hold the perpetrators accountable.

Spate of vandalism and harassment

Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens also condemned the vandalism as antisemitic, calling for American Jews and the Acker family to be able to live in security.

The university and Acker’s fellow regent Sarah Hubbard noted that the incident was part of a spate of vandalism and harassment of the institution’s workers. Hubbard called for law enforcement to pursue suspects in the Monday attack and similar incidents.

“I’m saddened to see this continued antisemitic behavior targeted at UMich leadership,” Hubbard said on X/Twitter.

In May, men masked in keffiyehs came to the door of Acker’s residence before dawn, demanding the defunding of police.

The same morning, around thirty protesters came to Hubbard’s home erected tents, and placed fake corpses wrapped in bloodied sheets on her lawn. The activists used bullhorns and drums to create noise and taped a list of demands to her front door. Hubbard had said that she would not capitulate to the protesters, but their representative asserted on social media that they would not take “no for an answer.”