A series of “Wanted” posters appeared over the weekend at the University of Rochester in New York aimed at Jewish faculty members.

The hundreds of posters were put up Sunday, stuck with adhesive strong enough to damage chalkboards, walls and floors.

The university’s Department of Public Safety Chief Quchee Collins on Monday said the incident constituted “vandalism” meant to intimidate members of the school community.

On Tuesday, University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf said the postering was “disturbing, divisive and intimidating and runs counter to our values as a university.”

She added that “we view this as antisemitism.”

The school’s DPS is trying to find out who put up the posters.

The posters charged faculty with a variety of offenses, including “racism,” “hate speech,” “ethnic cleansing” and “displacement of Palestinians,” according to CNN, referring to Israel’s war in Gaza.

Gregory Heyworth, an associate professor of English and computer science, told CNN that the posters gave out his personal information and noted the culprit’s “willingness to push the boundaries of anti-democratic behavior and infringe on free speech — to lie, distort and propagandize — while relying upon those same democratic values for cover.”

Some Jews on campus said the university’s proclamation that antisemitism was afoot was too fast.

The school’s chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, a left-wing anti-Zionist organization, told Rochester NBC affiliate WHEC-TV that “the administration’s hasty jump to attribute these posters to antisemitism, without any proper investigation, comes across as an attempt to censor any discussion of the University of Rochester’s complicity in the Israeli army’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. … It is not, however, antisemitic to criticize the Israeli government and military that is committing war crimes.”

The school’s Hillel International chapter, meanwhile, said that while no students were targeted, the posters “further the spread of antisemitic hate on our campus, in an attempt to sow fear.”

Congressional leaders representing New York denounced the incident as well. 

Rep. Joseph Morelle, a Democrat whose 25th Congressional District includes Rochester, wrote on X, “I strongly condemn all forms of antisemitism and hate, which have no place in our society. I stand firmly with the Jewish community, advocating for respect, understanding and unity in the face of these troubling incidents.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, also a Democrat, posted on X, “Targeting Jewish and other professors with ‘WANTED’ posters is rank intimidation. And antisemitic. … Those responsible must be held fully accountable. These actions must be condemned loudly.”

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.