‘Smash the patriarchy’: Activists graffiti Cornell hall over gang rape case

What the report says

Protesters at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, damaged and spray-painted the school’s main administrative building, Day Hall, in the early hours of Monday as anger grew over the university’s response to a sexual assault case involving a fraternity. According to Al Jazeera, activists smashed a glass door and marked the walls with slogans criticizing Cornell’s handling of the allegations and calling for broader action against campus sexual violence.

The demonstrations followed a civil lawsuit filed by an anonymous student identified as Jane Doe, who alleges she was gang raped at a Chi Phi fraternity party in October 2024. The complaint names seven former students, the fraternity, and Cornell as defendants. Some of the accused have denied participating in any assault. The case has become part of a wider national debate in the United States about how universities address sexual violence and discipline on campus.

Student organizers used the protest to demand reforms, including the abolition of Greek life structures on campus, stronger punishment for those accused in the case, and changes to Cornell’s student conduct system. They said the protest was intended to interrupt normal university operations and highlight what they described as systemic failures.

Cornell said it was investigating the vandalism and acknowledged community frustration, while also saying property damage was not the answer. The university has also said it will bring in an outside law firm for an independent review of how the case was initially handled, following pressure from New York state officials.