Class moved online due to ‘doxxing truck’
A University of Colorado Boulder professor moved their course online due to the presence of a “doxxing truck” on campus that displayed the names and images of faculty members under the headline, “Boulder’s Leading antisemites.”
The trucks are part of an ongoing campaign by a conservative media watch group Accuracy In Media, and the vehicles have been spotted at campuses across the country dating back to the fall. The specialized vehicles, generally large trucks with screens on their cargo holds, have been referred to in media reports as “doxxing trucks” in reference to the act of revealing personal information with malicious intent.
One of the trucks was spotted in Boulder on Tuesday, and at one point parked outside the Hale Science building on CU’S campus.
On Wednesday, the university confirmed that a professor had moved their class online due to the truck’s presence but is not sharing any names of faculty who were displayed due to safety concerns. The Daily Camera confirmed on Tuesday that the people identified on the truck are a part of the Ethnic Studies Department.
The Daily Camera is not publishing names or images of those displayed on the truck.
In October, the department released a statement showing its support for Palestinians during the ongoing Israel-hamas conflict. The statement was later retracted and replaced due to concerns about the statement’s accuracy.
At 7:11 a.m. Wednesday, the organization behind the truck, Accuracy In Media, posted images on X of the truck showing markings that spell out, “Free Palestine,” claiming that the truck was vandalized while it was at CU Boulder.
“The radical activists at CU Boulder thanked us for exposing antisemitism on their campus by vandalizing our property,” the post read. “This behavior only strengthens our resolve.”
A university spokesperson said the school could not comment on the vandalism issue since there was no evidence it was done by anyone affiliated with CU or that it even happened in Boulder, as Accuracy In Media claims.
In the same post on X, the organization said they would be at six campuses today, however, the university has said they don’t know if the truck will return or has plans to.
“CU Boulder is a public campus so as long as the truck is not blocking traffic or otherwise disrupting campus operations, they are free to drive around,” CU spokesman Steve Hurlbert said in an email when asked if CU Boulder has the authority to ban the truck. “Yesterday they also drove around The Hill neighborhood, which are obviously public streets. Nevertheless, CU Boulder Police Department is closely
monitoring the situation in order to both keep the campus safe and avoid any disruptions.”
The Boulder chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine released a statement Wednesday calling the campaign “reprehensible.”
“We want to reaffirm our unwavering support for the Department of Ethnic Studies and their courageous stance on issues related to Palestine,” the statement read. “Our commitment to justice remains steadfast, and we condemn any form of anti-semitism, recognizing it as antithetical to our values. It is evident that our university has been specifically targeted due to its strong moral and financial ties to Israeli Apartheid and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This incident only strengthens our resolve to advocate for justice in Palestine and highlights the urgent need for the university to take a principled stance through boycott, divestment, and sanctions against the Israeli State.
“We want to acknowledge and extend our gratitude to the Boulder and CU Boulder communities for making it abundantly clear
that Accuracy in Media is unwelcome on our campus and in our city. Your swift response exemplifies the values of inclusivity and solidarity that define our community.
At other campuses, the truck has displayed student and faculty names that have expressed support for Palestinians. In November, a similar truck was seen at Yale showing the names and faces of students which came shortly after a lawsuit was filed by a Columbia student against the organization.
According to the Columbia Spectator, the lawsuit stated that the organization created a website domain under the student’s full name falsely claiming that he was a “leader of an organization that signed a hateful, antisemitic letter.”
Anyone affiliated with CU Boulder who feels they are the target of discrimination or harassment can reach out to the Office of Victim Assistance at colorado.edu/ova for support. For a full list of resources and information available to students, faculty and staff, visit CU Boulder’s Israel-hamas resource page at colorado. edu/today/2023/10/10/israel-hamas-war-campusresources-insights-andmore#block-section-1449.