HANOVER — Authorities and Dartmouth College officials are investigating who splattered red paint on the stone steps outside Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock’s office and wrote “Free Palestine Divest” on the side of the building.

Hanover police and the Dartmouth Department of Safety and Security are investigating the graffiti, which was discovered Wednesday morning.

“Dartmouth prizes and defends the freedom of expression and dissent,” Dartmouth spokesperson Jana Barnello said via email Wednesday. “Vandalism, however, is unacceptable and not protected by Dartmouth policies.”

Hanover police are treating the incident as a matter of criminal mischief, Lt. Mike Schibuola confirmed in an email. Several people were involved, added Schibuola, who provided a surveillance image of someone pouring paint out from a can onto the steps.

An unsigned email sent early Wednesday morning to the Valley News from the address dartmouthdivest@proton.me claimed credit for the “action” earlier in the night.

“Tonight’s action reminds the Dartmouth administration, and all those who support and invest in genocide, that there will be no business as usual until the genocide is over,” the statement read.

In addition, the statement referred to the act as a “rational response to an institution that doesn’t act in good faith, that arrests peaceful protesters, harasses student organizers, and violates agreements with demonstrators.”

A Valley News reporter responded to the email claiming responsibility for the incident seeking further details. A response from dartmouthdivest@proton.me stated that the action “was not coordinated by any student groups” and was undertaken by “an autonomous group that came together for this action.”

The Valley News has not been able to independently corroborate the emailer’s claims.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the Dartmouth campus have been ongoing since last October with students, faculty and community members participating.

Last spring, dozens of students and community members were arrested by Hanover police at the request of college officials during what have been largely peaceful pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations.

Last October, student activists Roan Wade and Kevin Engel were arrested after they refused to leave a tent set up on the lawn outside the president’s office. Wade and Engel’s trial for criminal trespass will resume in Lebanon District Court later this month. Both have pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge.

In the spring, peaceful demonstrations continued. During a May 1 protest, 89 people, including 63 students, were arrested for criminal trespass shortly after a half dozen or so tents were pitched on the Dartmouth Green. Hanover police prosecutor Mariana Pastore has charged 55 people with violations — one step below a misdemeanor — and dropped charges entirely against 34 others who were arrested that night.

When students returned for the fall semester, protests resumed. About 75 people protested outside of Parkhurst Hall on Sept. 17. Police were not involved.

During the protest movement, pro-Palestinian activists have called for Dartmouth to stop all investments that support Israel’s ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip and end sponsored “Birthright” trips that allow Jewish students to travel to Israel.

The war in Gaza began after the Hamas terrorist group killed more than 1,000 Israelis and took about 250 hostages in an Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Since then, Israel’s military response in Gaza has led to the deaths of more than 42,000 people, including a large number of civilians, in the Palestinian territory, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

As of about 2 p.m. Wednesday, the morning’s graffiti had been mostly removed with some markings remaining on windows and outlines of the words “Free Palestine” still just visible in some areas.

The Hanover Police Department requests that anyone with information contact them. They can be reached at 603-643-2222 and individuals with information can remain anonymous.

Clare Shanahan can be reached at cshanahan@vnews.com or 603-727-3 216.