Ambiguous fliers investigated for anti-Semitism

The IU Police Department is investigating the distribution of fliers on campus that could be related to anti-Semitism.\nIUPD was notified that a slow-moving vehicle was depositing the fliers which said, "IU Hates East Coast Jews," at a variety of locations on campus, said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger.\nIUPD investigated the report and discovered 266 of the fliers. Minger said they were found on Seventh Street, the Indiana Memorial Union circle, north of Ballantine Hall, west of the School of Music buildings and on Jordan Avenue.\nBecause of the ambiguous nature of the fliers, it is unclear if they were distributed as an act of anti-Semitism or protest, Minger said.\n"That message could have meant that a group of people who considered themselves East Coast Jews felt that IU hated them, or it could be someone against East Coast Jews," Minger said.\nThe fliers were most likely distributed to gain attention, said IUPD Sgt. Chad Bennett. "They knew it would cause some sort of a scene," he said.\nPhillip Sherman, former vice president of the Student Leadership Committee at Helene G. Simon Hillel Center, said student reaction to this incident depends on the nature of the fliers.\n"If this is anti-Semitic and this is related to the incidents that happened toward the end of school, then I think that IU needs to look into what's going on and really crack down on it," Sherman said. "For two things to happen within a month of eaih other, (it's an indication that) something is going on and it needs to be dealt with immediately."\nIf the fliers were made by a group of Jewish students who feel that they targets of discrimination against, Sherman said they should find a less radical way to be heard.\n"They should approach the Hillel Center if they are feeling uncomfortable," Sherman said. "I think it's very important they come to Hillel and share the way that they're feeling in a way that's reasonable so that we at Hillel can deal with it in a manner that's respectful to everyone. It's perfectly fine for them to voice their opinions but they should find a more reasonable way to handle it."\nThis incident comes three weeks after anti-Semitic vandalism on a Jewish student's sport utility vehicle. A swastika and the word "Jew" were spray-painted on the student's car. No one has been charged in the case.\nMinger said there is no reason to believe that the events are related.\n"They were two different modes of communication," he said. "The ambiguity in the flier didn't lend itself to be related to anything. There were no similarities at all."\n-- Contact campus editor Karen Green at kamgreen@indiana.edu.