A Jewish student at Drexel University in Philadelphia had their dorm room set ablaze last week, according to a report from the New York Post.
Reportedly, campus police discovered that decorations on the student’s door were intentionally set on fire. The flames were extinguished by the Philadelphia Fire Department.
In a letter on Oct. 11, the university’s president, John Fry, mentioned the incident.
“Unfortunately, we were made aware of a distressing situation that included destruction inside one of our residence halls,” he wrote in the letter. “Thankfully, no one was injured. We are investigating to determine if bias, discrimination, or hate, which we do not tolerate at Drexel, was the motivation behind this incident. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, and we will update the community once it has concluded.”
A Drexel spokesperson, Britt Faulstick, later said that it was a Jewish student’s dorm, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Drexel University - an observant Jewish student’s dorm room door was set on fire.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 11, 2023
No other door was vandalized and the student believed she was targeted due to her outspoken support of Israel.
Police are investigating this as a possible hate crime. pic.twitter.com/ifFDpLiEdg
The incident came days after Hamas launched its attack on Israel, killing thousands of civilians, including babies and children, and taking hundreds as hostages. At least 29 Americans have died.
In the aftermath of these attacks, college students across the country have expressed support for Hamas, which Townhall has covered. At Harvard University, over 30 student organizations signed a joint statement blaming Israel for the attack.
“We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” the letter read. “The apartheid regime is the only one to blame. Israeli violence has structured every aspect of Palestinian existence for 75 years.”
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