The Hillel building at San Francisco State University was defaced with graffiti referencing an ancient battle in which Muslim forces defeated Jewish fighters, in what is being called an antisemitic attack. Vandals spray-painted the word “Khaybar” on the building’s sign late Sunday or early Monday, according to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Bay Area.

The term “Khaybar” is often chanted at protests against Israel and refers to a 7th-century battle on the Arabian Peninsula that ended in the slaughter of Jewish tribes. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) notes that it has become a rallying cry for antisemitic sentiment in modern protests. The vandals also painted communist and anarchist symbols beneath the word and scrawled “Death to Western imperialism!” on the center’s garage door.

In addition to the graffiti, the perpetrators reportedly attempted to break into the building.

Tyler Gregory, CEO of the Bay Area JCRC, condemned the act as part of a troubling rise in antisemitism on college campuses. “The Hillel House is a vibrant community center and should be a place where Jewish students feel safe and comfortable, especially as antisemitism continues to soar on campus,” he said in a statement.

Gregory called on elected officials and educational leaders to take stronger measures to curb antisemitic rhetoric at campus protests and in classrooms, warning of its potential to incite attacks on Jewish institutions and individuals.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)