The University of Washington campus was rocked Monday night as anti-Israel protesters, led by the suspended group Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER UW), illegally occupied the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building for over six hours, causing chaos, destruction, and fear. Protesters barricaded themselves inside, blocked exits, set dumpsters ablaze, and smashed lab equipment, inflicting over $1 million in damages on the state-of-the-art facility.
Authorities responded forcefully, arresting more than 30 individuals, including at least 21 students who have now been suspended and banned from all UW campuses. Non-student participants are also barred from campus, and charges including trespassing, property destruction, and disorderly conduct have been referred to prosecutors. The protest, which organizers claimed was in response to the university’s ties with Boeing, quickly devolved into vandalism and violence, delaying emergency responders and endangering the campus community.
During the occupation, protesters renamed the building after a Palestinian killed in Gaza and displayed banners glorifying Hamas’s October 7 massacre, rhetoric condemned by the university and widely denounced as antisemitic incitement. The university maintained communication with Jewish community leaders throughout the crisis and has publicly condemned the antisemitism, harassment, and discrimination on display.
In response to the incident, the federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism has launched a review of the university’s actions, federal grants, and campus climate. The Jewish community and pro-Israel advocates are demanding zero tolerance for hate and violence on campus, warning that such incidents threaten not only Jewish students but the integrity and safety of the entire university.
As rallies are planned in support of the suspended students, the University of Washington has made clear: those who endanger the campus and promote hate will face serious consequences.