Williams College student arrested for pro-Hamas vandalism
A Williams College student was arrested for allegedly vandalizing campus property with pro-Hamas graffiti and replacing the American flag with a Palestinian one.
Another student shouted 'Free Palestine' during the commencement ceremony.
A student at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, reportedly spray painted pro-Hamas graffiti and replaced an American flag with a Palestinian flag.
The student, named Liam Carey, was charged with vandalism and resisting arrest, according to The Algemeiner, which reports that he also tied himself to a flagpole near the location of his defacement.
Law enforcement arrested Carey shortly before the school’s commencement ceremony and was set to be arraigned on June 9. Williams College staff have since painted over the pro-Hamas graffiti, WNYT asserts.
A spokesperson for the school described the rhetoric as being in support of Palestine but did not list specific details.
Carey’s activism was not the only anti-Israel rhetoric that characterized Williams College’s graduation. During the school’s commencement ceremony, another student shouted “Free Palestine” into the microphone after obtaining his diploma.
In a June 8 “Letter to the Editor” published by The Berkshire Eagle, one New England community member critiqued destructive pro-Palestine demonstrations for “interfering” with the school’s graduation.
“It is sad to see any demonstration that causes damage, especially when harm is done to one’s own school,” the letter stated. “Speak to people to make your point or hold a sign that doesn’t interfere with a happy event that celebrates such a significant accomplishment as a college graduation.”
The Times of Israel notes that this is far from the first time that Williams College has made headlines for anti-Israel advocacy on its campus. As far back as 2019, the U.S. Department of Education investigated the school over claims that its student government declined to give official status to a pro-Israel group.
On Oct. 30, the Williams College’s board of trustees rejected a proposal from the school’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter to divest from companies that have connections to Israel.
In response, the SJP group condemned the trustees’ decision.
”Williams SJP will continue to campaign for investment disclosure and targeted divestment from arms manufacturing,” the SJP chapter stated. “We presented this proposal, but it is up to all of us to carry this work forward and maintain pressure on our administration.”
”Free Palestine,” the statement concluded.
Williams faculty have a history of platforming Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and LGBTQ advocacy. This week, its administration rejected grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) due to the Trump administration’s new anti-DEI restrictions.
Williams announced a new housing option in January for LGBT-identifying students so they can “express” themselves “more freely and flamboyantly,” according to a student who will work at the new housing.
“We can decorate our common rooms and our doors with flags, pronouns, and different queer themes,” the student added.
Campus Reform has contacted Williams College for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
