Law firm of UMich regent targeted by profanity-laced anti-Semitic graffiti
The regent said: ‘[Anti-Semitism] comes out of some of our elite institutions. And it's unacceptable and wrong.’
Anti-Israel students at the University of Michigan previously triggered outrage when they handed out pamphlets reading: ‘Freedom for Palestine means Death to America.’
Anti-Israel activists targeted a Jewish University of Michigan regent with graffiti in an incident that is being investigated as a hate crime.
Police came across the graffiti on Monday, which was sprayed on the walls and sidewalk of the Goodman Acker Law Firm in Southfield, Michigan. Jordan Acker, who sits on UM’s Board of Regents, is also a partner at Goodman Acker.
The messages painted included: “F*** You Acker,” “Divest or F*** Off,” and “Free Palestine.”
The law office of @UMich Regent @JordanAckerMI has been vandalized. @Southfield_Gov police are investigating. @WWJ950 @WWJTraffic @FOX2News #Monday @GoodmanAcker pic.twitter.com/1ypLSP22Om
— Charlie Langton (@charlielangton) June 3, 2024
Speaking to Fox News Digital, Acker explained the reasons why he thinks he was targeted: “First of all, because I am Jewish. And second of all, because my office here in Southfield, Michigan, is in a neighborhood that’s full of Orthodox Jews. And I think it was meant not just to intimidate me, but to also intimidate the community that lives here.”
“[Anti-Semitism] comes out of some of our elite institutions. And it’s unacceptable and wrong. And it’s important for those of us who sit on the center left, like I do, to get up and say, not acceptable. It’s un-American in this country,” he continued.
The attorney also partially blamed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, telling Fox News: “I think that part of the reason why universities are having this issue is because, over the last decade, a lot of these schools have used DEI. They’ve used other things to center student feelings and not actual diversity, equity and inclusion. And what has happened here is that you have a situation where Jews are not desired or Jews desire their feelings to be centered, just like every other group has seemingly over the last decade.”
Law Firm Vandalized with Pro-Palestine Graffiti in Southfield, Michigan
The law office of University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker was defaced early this morning, with “UM KILLS”, “DIVEST OR F*** OFF”, and “FREE PALESTINE” among messages written on the front of the building… pic.twitter.com/3IMaSxTvqf— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) June 3, 2024
“Make no mistake that targeting individual Jewish elected officials is antisemitism,” Acker told reporters on Monday. “This has nothing to do with Palestine or the war in Gaza or anything else. This is done as a message to scare Jews. I was not targeted here today because I am a regent. I am a target of this because I am Jewish.”
This is not the first time that Acker found himself targeted in a controversy regarding the current Israel-Hamas War.
In the early morning of May 15, anti-Israel protesters approached Acker’s personal residence and posted a list of their demands on his property. The protesters at that time harassed all other UM regents as well, in one case placing “fake corpses wrapped in bloodied sheets” on the lawn of one regent.
[RELATED: ‘ANTI-SEMITIC HATE RALLY’: Pro-Hamas students disrupt commencement despite school caving to activists’ demands]
Regarding that incident, Acker wrote: “This form of protest is not peaceful. Public officials should not be subject to this sort of intimidating conduct, and this behavior is unacceptable from any Michigan community member, especially one led by someone who called for the death of people they disagree with.”
Anti-Israel activists at UM—Ann Arbor ignited controversy this April when they handed out pamphlets stating “Freedom for Palestine means Death to America” and calling for a third intifada.
Campus Reform reached out to Jordan Acker for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
