Rutgers Black History Month events targeted by racist 'Zoom bombings,' university says
Rutgers University warned Friday that online student events had been targeted by "racist and bigoted Zoom-bombings” in recent days that appeared to be part of a broader international effort.
In a statement sent to members of the New Brunswick campus community, Chancellor Christopher Molloy said the attacks had targeted non-academic student events, most recently Black History Month programs hosted by the Paul Robeson Cultural Center and the Center for Social Justice Education & LGBTQ Communities.
“While we will not give these bigoted individuals the platform they cowardly sought by going into details, I do want us all to acknowledge the harm done to Black and LGBTQ members of our community, and affirm their pain,” Molloy wrote. “Marginalized communities are too often forced to bear such hatred and navigate in spite of it, and moments like this cut and wound deeply. I strongly condemn these horrific acts.”
The attacks appeared to not be "localized" and instead were "likely part of a larger coordinated international activity," complicating the investigation, the chancellor said in the statement.
"We will not resolve this overnight, and it is likely that incidents like these may reoccur before the perpetrators are identified," he said.
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Molloy said his office is working with university President Jonathan Holloway, the university police department, its Office of Information Technology and the Division of Student Affairs to investigate “these hate-fueled attacks with the seriousness they deserve.”
Anyone wanting to report a Zoom-bombing or other IT incident was encouraged to do so on the Rutgers website.
Katie Sobko is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: sobko@northjersey.com
Twitter: @katesobko