The individuals who tore down paper flyers memorializing those kidnapped at Israel, including children and babies, have been identified by an antisemitism watchdog group as two New York University undergraduates and a staff employee of the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

StopAntisemitism says that two NYU students, Yazmeen Deyhimi and Hafiza Khalique, a sophomore and freshman, respectively, were caught on tape tearing down the posters at NYU’s Tisch Hall at Greenwich Village. At the University of Pennsylvania’s campus at Philadelphia, a law school library assistant, Matthew Wranovics, is also alleged to have torn down posters.

According to archived copies of their LinkedIn accounts, Ms. Deyhimi is an NYU sophomore and former “summer education intern” at the Anti-Defamation League, which fights antisemitism. Ms. Deyhimi is studying politics and public policy and is on a pre-law track, according to the New York Times, which photographed her for a Style section profile of a “beloved barbershop” turned into a temporary nightclub. Ms. Khalique is a freshman at NYU who was previously involved with the Muslim Youth Leadership Council. Both of the women have since deleted their LinkedIn accounts. 

In a now-deleted Instagram post, Ms. Deyhimi confessed to vandalizing the posters and apologized. “I found it increasingly difficult to know my place as a biracial brown woman.” she explained. “My actions that were caught on camera are a poor representation of what I believe.”

Mr. Wranovics currently works as a library assistant for circulation at the University of Pennsylvania. As of two years ago, he was a student in the Library and Information Sciences department at Drexel University, according to his couchsurfing profile. 

The Anti-Defamation League has since taken down a description of Ms. Deyhimi’s internship from its website. In an archived version, Ms. Deyhimi was described as “extremely passionate about fighting racial profiling and championing gender equality.” 

In a message to the Sun, an ADL spokesman clarified: “After review, we can confirm that one of the participants was part of an ADL high-school level summer internship in 2019. We fully condemn her actions and hope that the apology she issued is the first step towards working to repair the harm and deep hurt her actions caused.”

In addition to Ms. Khalique and Ms. Deyhimi, several other individuals were recorded at New York University removing the posters. None of the alleged perpetrators nor their respective institutions have responded to the Sun’s request for comment. 

Ms. Khalique and Ms. Deyhimi were caught on video tearing down the flyers outside NYU’s Tisch Hall. Dozens of posters, memorializing the kidnapped Israelis, were seen in their arms after being torn down.

“We witnessed 2 NYU students violently tearing down posters of kidnapped babies, mothers, and grandmothers hanging outside of NYU buildings,” a statement by the Students Supporting Israel’s NYU chapter read. “This was done in a laughing manner exhibiting complete disregard for Jewish lives and Jewish safety.”

When asked by the Sun to confirm the veracity of StopAntisemitism’s allegations, the NYU Jewish student organization responded that it “can confirm.”

At the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Wranovics was recorded tearing down the posters on the Philadelphia campus. When pressed by an onlooker who was recording him, Mr. Wranovics responded, “Get the f— out of my face.” StopAntisemitism has not elaborated on how it received the video.  

In a statement to the Sun, StopAntisemitism would not elucidate on how it was able to identify the students. StopAntisemitism’s founder, Liora Raz, stated that the incidents indicate a “disturbing enthusiasm for covering up Hamas’s crimes.” Ms. Raz urged NYU “to hold these students accountable for their bigotry” and for “employers to consider whether hiring people who insult kidnapped civilians aligns with their core values.”