Dartmouth bathrooms vandalized with anti-Israel messages, live insects released
Activists reportedly released 10,000 live ladybugs in two Dartmouth bathrooms.
The stunt is among the latest instance of political protesters disrupting campus facilities.
In the latest instance of political protesters disrupting campus facilities and targeting school administrators, a group of pro-Palestinian activists reportedly released 10,000 live ladybugs into two bathrooms in Dartmouth College’s Parkhurst Hall.
The incident occurred on May 1 just steps from Dartmouth President Sian Beilock’s office, according to reporting by The Dartmouth.
Activists left behind signs accusing school officials of being “aphids,” a reference to pests that feed on crops—while claiming the ladybugs symbolized resistance.
The bathrooms, both gender-neutral, were left with bags of insects, cardboard signs, and written slogans including “10,000 ladybugs,” “divest from apartheid and genocide,” “free Palestine,” and “our administrators are aphids!!!”
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In Parkhurst’s basement, another bathroom was vandalized with the word “Divest” and the controversial slogan “From the river, to the sea” scrawled in black marker on the wall. The phrase is often associated with calling for the destruction of Israel.
The ladybug stunt occurred on the anniversary of a 2023 pro-Palestine protest that led to the arrests of 89 students on Dartmouth’s campus.
Dartmouth College has not released a public statement addressing the vandalism, biological release, or political messaging.
This is one of the latest examples of disruptive pro-Palestine activism on college campuses.
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Anti-Israel demonstrators faced felony charges for vandalizing a building at Stanford University during a June 2024 protest.
The demonstration included 11 then-students at the university, who wrote graffiti slogans around the school’s main quad. Some of these slogans were “Death 2 US,” “F*** Amerikkka,” and “Kill Cops.”
At the University of Michigan, four students and one graduate—who were connected to a May 2024 pro-Palestine demonstration—were suspended by the institution after reportedly interfering with law enforcement activities. More than 200 students were involved in the protest at the university’s Museum of Art.
Campus Reform has contacted Dartmouth for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.