San Diego State University Jewish fraternity targeted in anti-Semitic attack
A Jewish fraternity at San Diego State University (SDSU) was recently targeted in what has been treated as an anti-Semitic attack.
The Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) house was vandalized late last month with paint and fireworks, its windows were broken, and the attackers used anti-Semitic slurs.
A Jewish fraternity at San Diego State University (SDSU) was recently targeted in what has been treated as an anti-Semitic attack.
The Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) house was vandalized late last month with paint and fireworks, its windows were broken, and the attackers used anti-Semitic slurs, as reported by NBC 7.
“Students were yelling anti-Semitic slurs at [the students]. Obviously, we’re a Jewish fraternity. They were shooting literal fireworks at them,” said the landlord of the fraternity house, according to CBS8.
In a statement reported by NBC 7, SDSU President Adela de la Torre condemned the vandalism and said the administration is taking it “very seriously.”
“Let us be absolutely clear: any act of hate or discrimination based on a person’s religion, race or ethnicity is against university policy and our Principles of Community,” de la Torre said. “The university takes these actions very seriously, and we are committed to the safety and well-being of all our community members.”
Fabienne Perlov, a spokesperson for the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) regional office in San Diego, condemned the attack, which she described as “anti-Semitic.”
“We condemn the antisemitic attack on the AEPi Jewish fraternity at San Diego State University last night,” Perlov stated. “Members of another fraternity reportedly vandalized the AEPi house with paint and fireworks, and broke windows while shouting hateful and antisemitic slurs. This behavior is unacceptable.”
Perlov continued to applaud what she called the “prompt” intervention by the university’s police department and described the importance of holding the responsible parties “accountable” for their actions.
SDSU is not the first school where an AEPi building has been vandalized. The Jewish fraternity’s chapter at Temple University in Philadelphia was vandalized multiple times in 2024, including one incident where the phrase “Free Palestine” was spray-painted on the roof of the fraternity house.
“AEPi identifies as a Jewish fraternity and there was evidence the incidents were motivated by antisemitism,” said Temple’s president and provost in a joint statement after the building was vandalized.
A report conducted late last year by the nonprofit, StopAntisemitism, found that anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses have increased by around 3,000 percent. The group attributed the statistic to universities’ failure “to protect their Jewish students in the wake of violent antisemitic uprisings,” including by ignoring attacks.
Around 50 percent of Jewish students reported “have personally been victims of antisemitism at their schools,” and around 70 percent said that “Jews are completely excluded from their schoolʼs DEI initiatives,” according to the study.
Campus Reform has contacted San Diego State University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
