NYPD Investigates Swastika Flag at NYU as 860 Antisemitic Incidents Hit New York City
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 14
NYPD Investigates Swastika Flag at NYU as 860 Antisemitic Incidents Hit New York City
5 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 14
A swastika-bearing flag was raised above an NYU building overlooking Washington Square Park during graduation week and was removed quickly after a passerby spotted it Wednesday afternoon.
NYPD and NYU are now trying to identify whoever hoisted the flag, which resembled an Israeli flag in purple but replaced its center with the NYU torch and added two large swastikas.
Students and NYU Hillel said the fast removal helped, but called the display especially disturbing during a week meant for celebration and graduation.
The incident follows a September case in which a Jewish freshman reported antisemitic graffiti on a dorm door, reinforcing concerns about repeated campus targeting.
ADL data recently underscored the wider backdrop: New York City recorded 860 antisemitic incidents in 2025, the highest total in New York state.
How did someone access a locked NYU rooftop to display a flag combining swastikas and the Star of David during a major campus event?
As NYU faces rising antisemitism and debates over free speech, can universities distinguish protest from hate—and where should the line be drawn?