Overview
- A modified purple flag bearing a Star of David flanked by two swastikas rose over NYU’s Steinhardt building during the Grad Alley celebration Wednesday around 5 p.m., and campus safety took it down in about 15 minutes.
- The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force opened an investigation after a 911 call reported the display at 5:21 p.m., and police have announced no arrests.
- NYU called the act antisemitic and said it is working with police to identify who raised the flag, while students and NYU Hillel described the scene as disturbing during graduation week.
- City and state leaders, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul, condemned the display and encouraged tips to police.
- The banner flew from a school named for Jewish philanthropists Michael and Judy Steinhardt in a city that has logged high antisemitic incident counts, adding to campus strains tied to protests over the Israel-Hamas war.