New York University: Graduate Student Investigated for Writing “Fuck” and “Free Palestine” on Israeli Mailbag Found in Garbage

In June 2022, New York University graduate student Naye Idriss found a mailbag printed with the words “Israel Post Co. Ltd.” discarded in a trash can. She used a red marker to write “fuck” above the word “Israel” and “free Palestine” on another part of the discarded mailbag. NYU fired Idriss from her job at the university library and launched an investigation into her “vandalism.” On February 2, 2023, FIRE wrote NYU urging it to end the investigation, as Idriss’ message constitutes core political expression and was written on an object in a trash can, not owned by any individual, and thus not capable of being “vandalized.”