UToledo law student says she received threatening note after showing support for Palestine

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - A University of Toledo law student, who is Palestinian, said that she received a threatening note while she was on campus. She said she believes the note was in response to her showing support for Palestine by wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf.

“I had left the law school to go study at the library and then when I came back from the library to go to class, I had found the note on my car that said ‘keep wearing those d--- scarves all of you,’” the student, who wished to remain anonymous, told 13 Action News.

She said the note, which was left on her windshield Nov. 29, was the latest of three incidents related to her support of Palestine. The student said someone ripped a Palestinian flag out of her car door off campus, and messages in support of Palestine were wiped off her vehicle in front of the UToledo Law Center.

After finding the note, she reached out to university administration, speaking out about her experience, and what other students may be experiencing.

“I said that I’m sure there are other things that happened with other students at the university, but they haven’t said anything,” the student said. “This is why I’m bringing this to your attention so that you guys are aware of what your students could potentially be facing, and you guys can be there for them.”

Dean Cindy Kirby, the assistant dean for student affairs the UToledo’s College of Law, filed a report with the UToledo police, who then launched an investigation.

A spokesperson for the UToledo said the university was aware of the incident and wanted to make sure the campus was safe for all students.

“UToledo Police took an informational report Nov. 30 after a student reported to an administrator that she had found a note on her vehicle. The student reported she was concerned because while off campus she also had a Palestine flag taken from her vehicle. The University of Toledo is committed to ensuring a safe and welcoming campus and encourages everyone to report any concern so it can be investigated by police or the appropriate University office.”

The student said that she’s met with members of UToledo administration, but she wants the university to do more to ensure students feel safe on campus, especially after receiving the anonymous note.

“It has to be someone who knows who I am and what car I drive and where I was going,” the student said. “That was really what was concerning that someone was following me to leave a note on my car when they could just speak to me.”

Some of her family members and friends live overseas and she said that she has been feeling a variety of emotions seeing what is happening in Palestine, but she still is holding on to hope.

“It’s a mixture of exhaustion and feeling of hopelessness and defeat,” the student said. “It’s a rollercoaster. And then you do, you feel hope, you feel unity when you are supported.”

Even if it is difficult, she wants people to try to understand one another by talking it out and ask questions, even if it is difficult.

“There’s no need to be hateful and leave anonymous messages,” the student said. “We can just yell it out and figure it out with each other if need be and i hope that some of this can get that across, that’s it.”

She said that amid a rise in Islamophobia, she said she thought she should take this more seriously. She said that she is preparing to file a police report with the Toledo Police Department to have a record of the incident.

Amid the threatening note and other incidents, she said she is not going to stop showing her support for Palestine.

“It has not deterred me one bit,” she said.

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