Arizona State university
Arizona State universityiStock

The Arizona State University (ASU) Police Department has launched an investigation into anti-Semitic flyers discovered on campus Monday, the State Press student newspaper reported.

The flyers were discovered near a kosher restaurant and in a newspaper dispenser near an education building.

The flyers said “Who controls the world? Jews do” in a dripping red blood font overtop a Star of David.

The posters were denounced by campus Jewish groups and by Arizona state rep. Alma Hernandez who also teaches an ASU course on public health.

“As faculty at ASU I am disappointed this is still happening in 2021. Join me in denouncing this attack on the Jewish community,” Hernandez tweeted.

The flyers were signed “Happy Halloween from the ASU College Republicans United,” but the group, described by the student newspaper as not affiliated with the ASU College Republicans, distanced themselves from the flyers, saying they had nothing to do with them.

“A crime was committed yesterday when we were falsely accused of an activity we did not commit. We demand ASU Police investigate who put up the fake flyers,” they tweeted. “Review the security footage. Identify the individual or determine if a flyer was even distributed.”

In a statement, the ASU College Republicans strongly condemned the flyers, and stressed they have never been affiliated with ASU College Republicans United.

“We wholeheartedly condemn this act of hate and bigotry,” they wrote. “This blatant act of anti-Semitism does not belong on our campus or in the Republican Party. We stand with Jewish students and the Jewish community at ASU.”

They noted that the incident wasn’t “the first time acts of anti-Semitism have been committed at ASU.”

“College Republicans at ASU have repeatedly condemned anti-Semitism on campus – including those committed by the group College Republicans United at ASU – and have demanded the ASU administration work to protect and support Jewish students on campus. This incident is a direct result of their complacency. The Jewish community deserves deserves better.”

Campus police chief Michael Thompson urged anyone with information to come forward.

“We condemn the anti-Semitic rhetoric reported on campus on Nov. 1, 2021,” he tweeted. “There is no place for anti-Semitism, or any other form of prejudice, at Arizona State University.”

A petition addressed to ASU administration is circulating asking that ASU "make public statements and take actions which clearly demonstrate that Arizona State University does not promote nor condone anti-Semitism.”

The letter says: “This includes making and executing a plan to educate all ASU student, faculty, and staff about anti-Semitic attacks on campus. In addition, ASU must hold those responsible for this heinous incident responsible.”

It adds that “the Arizona State University administration has repeatedly ignored its Jewish communities' calls for action, and we will not sit back and take it any longer. Anti-Semitism has no place on our campus. The ASU Jewish community will not hide and will not stand down. We Jewish students demand to be heard, responded to, have action taken, and feel safe at Arizona State University.”

The Jewish Cultural Coalition at ASU, an umbrella body of campus Jewish groups, echoed the the call for ASU to publicly address the situation.

“The ASU Jewish community has faced multiple anti-Semitic attacks and while we greatly appreciate the support from the administration, we would like to see a public statement about the issues that Jewish students face at ASU,” the coalition wrote in a statement.