Two Jewish DePaul students visibly showing support for Israel were punched Wednesday afternoon outside the Lincoln Park campus.
Around 3:20 p.m., the two students were outside the student center in the 2200 block of North Sheffield Avenue when two masked people approached them and punched them, according to a letter to the campus from university president Robert L. Manuel.
The students suffered “physical injuries” but declined medical treatment, the letter said.
“We are outraged that this occurred on our campus. It is completely unacceptable and a violation of DePaul’s values to uphold and care for the dignity of every individual,” Manuel wrote in the letter. “We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure DePaul is a safe and welcoming space for every member of our diverse university community.”
Chicago police are also investigating to determine whether the attack was a hate crime, according to police and the letter.
Anyone with information on the attack should contact DePaul Public Safety at 773-325-7777 in Lincoln Park or 312-362-8400 for the Loop campus.