Vandals strike Cornell building amid outrage over fraternity gang rape case

Protesters in the United States smashed a glass door at Cornell University's main administrative building and spray-painted slogans on its walls, as anger grows over the school's response to allegations of a 2024 gang rape at a campus fraternity.

In the early hours of Monday, glass panes on an entrance door of Day Hall were broken, scattering shards across the floor. Activists also painted messages on nearby walls accusing the university of protecting alleged perpetrators while punishing protesters, alongside slogans calling for the dismantling of patriarchy.

The incident took place before a planned student rally on Monday calling for justice for survivors of sexual violence.

University spokesperson Kyle Kimball confirmed that Cornell was investigating the vandalism. He said the institution recognised the frustration and strong feelings within the community and that such concerns deserved to be heard, but stressed that damaging property was not an acceptable response.

Cornell, an Ivy League institution in New York state, has faced intense national scrutiny over sexual violence on campus after an anonymous student identified as Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit last month. The lawsuit alleges that she was gang-raped at a party hosted by the fraternity Chi Phi on the night of October 19, 2024, after being pressured to consume alcohol and the drug ketamine. Her complaint names seven former students accused of committing serious criminal sexual acts against her.