Law office of University of Michigan chancellor devastated in anti-Semitic attack; police chief calls it ‘horrifying’

CNN
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The law office of the chancellor of the Jewish University of Michigan in Southfield, Michigan, was vandalized early Monday morning and spray-painted with pro-Palestinian language. The office described it as an anti-Semitic attack.

Jordan Acker, a regent at the University of Michigan and a partner at Goodman Acker, called the crime “an enormously difficult moment for me personally and for the entire community.” A regent is a public official elected to a board that oversees the administration of the university.

According to Acker, this is the second incident in just a few weeks in which he has been the victim of an attack.

Graffiti with slogans such as “Divestment Now” and “Freedom for Palestine” were plastered on the building itself and on the sidewalk in front of it, according to images provided by the firm. One of the messages, apparently directed at the lawyer, read: “Fuck you, Acker.”

Southfield police are investigating the incident as a hate crime, Police Chief Elvin Barren said at a news conference Monday, calling the vandalism “horrific.” The FBI, University of Michigan police and Huntington Woods police are assisting with the investigation, Barren added.

“We must not make the mistake of thinking that attacking individual Jewish officials is anti-Semitism,” Acker said at the press conference. “This has nothing to do with Palestine or the war in Gaza or anything else. This is a message to scare Jews.”

“An attack on our values ​​and our mission,” says founding partner

In a previous incident, a masked intruder came to the door of Acker’s home at 4:30 a.m. on May 15, he said on X, noting that his three daughters were asleep at the time. He called that incident “unacceptable” and said he would not be intimidated.

Barry Goodman, a founding partner of the firm, said Monday’s incident was “not an attack on our office, but an attack on our values ​​and our mission.”

Goodman added that the company is owned not only by Jewish members, but also by Muslims and Christians.

“We pride ourselves on serving all faiths and races and have done so for over 30 years,” Goodman said. “This is absolutely ridiculous; this is a crime.”

Goodman said protesters are free to walk on the sidewalk, hold signs, make statements – “anything the Constitution allows, but they cannot do this.”

Southfield police officials said a preliminary investigation revealed that four people were captured on surveillance video outside the law office at 1:39 a.m. Monday morning, Barren said during the news conference.

The people were in the office for about seven minutes, Barren said. CNN has contacted police about the surveillance video.

University of Michigan President Santa J. Ono called the incident “unacceptable” in a statement to CNN.

“The vandalism that occurred at Regent Jordan Acker’s workplace is shocking and unacceptable. Singling out this dedicated public servant in the middle of the night and defacing his workplace is an act of anti-Semitic cowardice that Southfield police say is being investigated as a hate crime. Such harassment and intimidation have no place in a civil society, and certainly no place in our university community,” Ono said.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the vandalism “abhorrent” in a statement.

“Violence, vandalism, threats and intimidation are unacceptable and what we saw today in Southfield is abhorrent,” Whitmer said. “We must continue to stand united in denouncing hate of any kind and continue to work together toward peace in Michigan.”

Acker said on Monday that he was “deeply grateful” for the support “from all walks of life” he received following the incident.

“I am not being targeted here today because I am a ruler. I am being targeted because I am Jewish.”