Pro-Palestinian vandals invade home of University of Washington president, carve Hamas symbols

Pro-Palestinian vandals invaded the home of University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce, on Thursday, damaging her car and leaving pro-Hamas symbols, the university confirmed in a statement.

University spokesperson Victor Balta said in an email Thursday evening that “several masked perpetrators” invaded Cauce’s home, where they slashed the tires to her car and painted “pro-Hamas symbols” across multiple surfaces. Videos circulating online show inverted triangles being painted onto home’s walls.

Those recorded promised, “you will not know peace until you meet the demands of our movement.”

“Free Palestine” and “blood on your hands” were also spray painted on Cause’s property.

“Making threats against a public official in an attempt to intimidate them is a crime,” Balta said in the statement. She confirmed that police were investigating the incident and that it “will not influence University policy.”

A Jewish alumni group, verified by the Seattle Times, condemned the attack, writing on X, “We unequivocally condemn this despicable behavior, and look to @SeattlePD and incoming AG @NickBrownNow to find and prosecute these lawbreakers. @UW”

BREAKING: Pres Cauce's home was vandalized last night with vile graffiti and posted on Insta with threatening language: "You will not know peace until you meet the demands of our movement"We unequivocally condemn this despicable behavior, and look to @SeattlePD and incoming AG… pic.twitter.com/vewG2mOIW7

— UW_JewishAlumni (@UW_JewishAlumni) November 14, 2024

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Behind the attack

The alumni group also connected the incident to the Instagram page ‘Escalate Seattle’ which claimed to be sharing the video on behalf of anonymous students.

“ANA MARI FUNDS GENOCIDE This morning, Ana Mari woke up at her residential home in Lake City to red paint splattered on her front door and a message on her car, declaring ‘Ana Mari Funds Genocide.’ In the lead-up to today's UW Board of Regents meeting, members of the community wanted to send a strong reminder to Ana Mari of her complicity in the genocide of Palestinians. In addition, flyers listing campus demands and quotes exposing her loyalty to Boeing-primary supplier of weapons for the zionist genocide [sic] - were wheatpasted [sic] on her house and left in her neighbors mailboxes,” the anonymous students allegedly wrote.  “Cauce does not get to live a comfortable life or have a positive reputation while snuggling up to war profiteers. While Ana Mari and the Board of Regents use the bureaucratic process in an attempt to stall out the movement for Palestinian liberation, we will not be deceived or demobilized. Our movement will continue to escalate until the demands for cutting ties with war-profiteer Boeing and divestment from zionism [sic] are met.

"Until UW ends their relationship with Boeing and academically and materially divests from zionism [sic], we will continue to apply pressure on Ana Mari and her accomplices, in all aspects of their life. The power of the people far outweighs the power of blood money from Boeing and other arms of US imperialism. To Ana Mari and the rest of the Board of Regents: you will not know peace until you meet the demands of our movement. The clock is ticking…”

Condemning the incident

The American Jewish committee further condemned the vandals' actions, according to local media, stating “The despicable vandalism of President Cauce’s home and car is a sickening extension of the antisemitic rhetoric, vandalism, and violence that has engulfed UW. This heinous act went beyond the damage we have come to expect from anti-Israel protesters on campus. The intent clearly was to intimidate and threaten President Cauce. Knowing her, I can say with confidence that the vandals have failed miserably. The perpetrators must be held accountable and a message must be sent that there will be zero tolerance for acts of hate and antisemitism at UW and in our community.”

 Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle president Solly Kane also condemned the incident, proclaiming in a public statement that “When vandalism of property is celebrated and the graffitiing of symbols with ties to known US designated terrorist organizations are glorified as activism, the moral compass of society needs to be reset.”