A memorial sculpture honoring the Bibas family at the University of Michigan was desecrated with “Free Palestine” and an inverted red triangle just a few days after its installation.
The memorial – named “The Rock” – is a large orange boulder with the names of Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel written on it, in honor of the three Bibases who were murdered in Hamas captivity. Their bodies were returned to Israel in the recent hostage-prisoner exchange deal, and the three were buried last week.
The words “Am Yisrael Chai” and an Israeli flag also appeared on the rock.
Overnight on March 1, just days after it was made on February 24, vandals blacked out the names of the three and sprayed the words “Free Palestine” along with the red triangle, a known symbol of the Hamas organization.
Students Supporting Israel in Michigan said, “Words fail to capture the moral depravity.”
Vandalism at the University of Michigan
Antisemitic vandalism is not new to UoM: In December 2024, the home and vehicle of a Jewish UoM regent were damaged and vandalized by anti-Israel activists.
The regent, Jordan Acker, found that the family’s vehicle had been graffitied with the slogans “divest” and “free Palestine.”
According to photographs published by UMich Public Affairs, the red inverted triangle symbol used in Hamas propaganda to denote the targeting of enemies was also scrawled on the car.
Earlier, in April 2024, two incidents of antisemitic vandalism equating a Star of David to a Nazi swastika were found outside the University of Michigan Hillel.
Jesus Christ is King
