Stony Brook Interim President Richard L. McCormick sent an email to the campus community on Friday, decrying the use of “red hands” symbolism used on pro-Palestine materials on campus.
McCormick’s email came after the organization SB4Palestine hung a banner from the roof of the Student Activities Center during a protest on Thursday, Nov. 21, that included the red hands symbolism referenced in his email.
McCormick also wrote that the University has launched an investigation into the action of the banner being hung, which he said was an action that violated University policy.
“The image evokes a painful history tied to a widely circulated photograph from October 12, 2000, when two Israeli soldiers were lynched in Ramallah,” McCormick wrote. “The photograph, known as the ‘red hands of Ramallah,’ depicts one of the killers displaying bloodied hands to a cheering crowd. For many in our Stony Brook Jewish community, this symbol represents profound fear and trauma.”
The “red hands” symbol has long been a source of criticism from Jewish groups, especially as the Israel-Hamas conflict has taken root on college campuses across the United States. In April, The New York Post reported that red hands painted on a tree on the campus of the Pratt Institute had drawn fierce backlash from Jewish critics.
In March, several celebrities attending the 2024 Oscar Awards received backlash for wearing pins that critics conflated with the lynching McCormick referenced in his email. However, the fact-checking publication Snopes found no evidence that the pins worn by the celebrities referenced the 2000 Ramallah lynching.
After the email by McCormick was sent out, Stony Brook Hillel sent a message to their own community expressing gratitude for McCormick’s words and saying that they were “grateful to have a partner in the University administration during this challenging time.”
“We are heartened by Interim President McCormick’s recent statement unequivocally condemning the hateful, anti-Israel banner displayed on the Student Activities Center last month,” Hillel wrote. “Leadership matters significantly in these moments, and this statement shows the university’s commitment to supporting Jewish students at Stony Brook.”
“To be clear, this symbol has no place on our campus. I strongly condemn the use of this symbol and I will work tirelessly to make sure no member of our community is intimidated or made to feel unwelcome,” McCormick wrote.
He also asked that the campus community work together “to foster a culture of respect, empathy, and civility.”
“While we encourage open and productive dialogue, it must always be conducted in a manner that reflects our shared commitment to mutual understanding and decency,” he wrote.
SB4Palestine did not respond to a request for comment.
