(The Center Square) – The investigation continues into an incident early Thursday morning at the home of University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce.
Cauce’s home and car were vandalized and damaged by pro-Hamas activists as confirmed in an emailed statement sent to The Center Square by Victor Balta with UW communications.
“Early Thursday morning, several masked perpetrators did significant damage to President Cauce’s home and car, including slashing her car’s tires and painting pro-Hamas symbols,” Balta said.
“Making threats against a public official in an attempt to intimidate them is a crime. At this time, multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating due to the nature of the threats in the vandalism and in the perpetrators’ social media posts claiming credit,” he continued. We will use all available resources to identify and bring charges against the individuals responsible. These and similar recent crimes will not influence University policy.”
A video posted to social media showed Cauce’s home and car being spray painted with the words “Free Palestine.”
The group “@escalate_seattle” on Instagram appeared to take credit for the vandalism.
As previously reported by The Center Square, anti-Semitic groups set up encampments on the campus of the University of Washington last spring as part of nationwide college campus protests and counterprotests related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, following the latter’s attack on the Jewish state on Oct. 7, 2023.
“They have crossed a new line, and it’s terrible,” UW Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass told The Center Square Friday. “It really was a despicable act.”
Mass, who is Jewish, said the mood on campus and the threat level for Jewish students has improved dramatically since spring.
“One reason it’s better now is we have police on campus who are patrolling 24/7, which has made a huge difference in that they have actually stopped people,” said Mass, who noted that Seattle police officers – as opposed to unarmed UW police – are stopping potential vandalism.
He added, “I went up to one and thanked them for being there, and they said they had stopped a lot of incidents like with people at 2 a.m. with spray paint, and they chased them away.”
State Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, put out a statement in response to the attack on Cauce’s home and vehicle.
“Today’s protest targeting the private home of the University of Washington president crossed every conceivable line of decency and legality,” the GOP leader said. “Masked individuals who resorted to vandalism, property destruction, and physical intimidation showed utter contempt for civil discourse. Attempting to intimidate a public official through violence and fear is a crime, plain and simple. Such actions are cowardly and have no place in our society. While peaceful protests and differing viewpoints are hallmarks of democracy, resorting to threats and criminal acts undermines everything we stand for.”
House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, and Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, also issued a statement regarding the incident.
“We are disturbed by the news that significant damage was done to University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce’s residence and car by masked perpetrators who also painted pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian symbols on both,” the statement said. “This is an unacceptable form of protest.”
No arrests have been made.
