BELLINGHAM — Western Washington University’s administration building was vandalized last month in what is being called a politically motivated attack that focused on war in the Mideast, The Bellingham Herald learned through a public records request.
About $2,300 in damage was caused Oct. 22 when rocks shattered several windows at Old Main and the slogans “WWU did not divest” and “Hinds revenge” were spray-painted on the building and walkway near the front entrance.
No one was injured, and no arrests were made. University officials closed the case because of a lack of suspects, according to police reports.
Despite the politically-oriented messaging in the graffiti, no alert was sent to students and staff because university officials decided there was no imminent threat to campus safety.
“WWU doesn’t routinely issue broad communications about graffiti or vandalism, except when university police assess there is an ongoing threat to community safety. Our approach is to provide relevant information without causing unnecessary concern or amplifying incidents that do not pose ongoing risks,” WWU spokesman Jonathan Higgins told The Herald in an email.
“University police promptly documented the damage and facilities crews removed the graffiti and began repairs. By the time most students and employees were starting their day, it was already mostly pressure washed off and repairs were underway,” Higgins said.
The phrase “WWU did not divest” refers to an ultimatum from students and others who occupied the lawn with a tent city at Old Main earlier this year, seeking an end to university investments and academic relationships with Israel. Their demands echoed the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement that major Jewish organizations consider antisemitic.
“Hinds revenge” is a reference to the death of 6-year-old Hind Rajab and members of her family in Gaza, victims of the Israel-Hamas war, according to reports from The Washington Post and other news organizations. That message also was spray-painted in downtown Seattle during an election night protest last week, according to TV station Fox-13.
Political motivation
Michael Slouber, a professor in the Global Humanities and Religions Department and president of the Faculty Senate, told The Herald that he believes the entire campus community should have been informed about the incident.
“It’s clearly political. It’s clearly related to the war in Gaza. Whether it’s a hate crime, there’s some disagreement among the administration and faculty members,” Slouber told The Herald in a phone interview.
The matter was discussed in a Faculty Senate meeting about a week after it happened, he said.
“It could be interpreted in different ways, but vandalism is a form of violence,” Slouber said.
Police report
In a report describing the incident, Officer Todd Osborn said he found spray-painted phrases outside the third-floor entrance to Old Main. A “palm-sized” rock was thrown through a window in the door and rocks were thrown through two office windows.
“I activated my body-worn camera as I arrived. I located the third floor’s main entrance (at the center of the building) and found the north side door’s glass broken. Pieces of glass were on the floor inside the building and a palm-sized rock was on the ground, under the window. I did not observe any blood or any other evidence left behind on the glass. Given the part of the window that was broken and having not found any further damage inside, I do not believe the suspects attempted to enter the building,” Osborn said.
“I photographed the scene and went outside to survey the damage from another angle. I noticed what appeared to be black spray paint on the stairs. Further exploring yielded three distinct pieces of graffiti near the main entrance.” he said.
Because the damage was above $750 and occurred in a public building, it is listed as second-degree malicious mischief in Osborn’s report. Second-degree malicious mischief is a class C felony under state law and is punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
(c)2024 The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.)
Visit The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.) at www.bellinghamherald.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
