Barnard issued an announcement of the possible return of doxing trucks to campus on Wednesday, January 31.

On Tuesday evening, Barnard Dean Leslie Grinage and Senior Vice President Sarah Gillman sent an email to students announcing the potential return of doxing trucks to campus on Wednesday, January 31. The College was made aware of this possibility through recent media reports, the notice said. The full text of the email can be found below. 

The trucks were last seen circling the Barnard and Columbia campuses in the Fall semester of 2023, bearing the names and faces “of primarily Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students,” the announcement explained. The faces of targeted students were often displayed under the slogan “Columbia’s Leading Antisemites.”

Columbia Public Safety has alerted the NYPD in anticipation of the trucks’ potential return. In their email, Dean Grinage and Vice President Gillman encouraged students to contact the Barnard CARES Response Team should they find out their information is being displayed on a doxing truck.

In addition, Columbia Public Safety and the NYPD are organizing a meeting open to all students where they can share their concerns about the doxing trucks and campus safety. Students who have experienced doxing will be contacted by Barnard directly. 

“Although doxing is not illegal in New York, the NYPD can investigate if other violations have occurred, such as harassment,” the announcement said. “[Submitting complaints] is open to any individual, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.”

Email from Barnard Vice President for Campus Life and Student Experience and Dean of the College Leslie Grinage and Senior Vice President for Strategic and Finance Operations Sarah Gillman to Barnard students on Tuesday, January 30 at 7:07pm.

Dear Barnard Community,

According to recent media reports, the College has learned that the doxing trucks that many observed in the Fall 2023 semester may return tomorrow, Wednesday, January 31. Many individuals, including students from our community, have been subject to doxing incidents in which trucks have circled the Columbia and Barnard campuses displaying and publicizing the names and photos of primarily Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students. We condemn the deliberate harassment and targeting of members of our community by doxing, a dangerous form of intimidation.

Columbia Public Safety has already alerted the NYPD. If you see (or become aware that) your name, a photo of yourself, or any of your personal information is displayed on a doxing truck, please contact the Barnard CARES Response Team at 212-854-3362 or visit their office on the first floor of Elliott Hall for further support resources and information. 

Additionally, Columbia Public Safety is setting up a meeting on the Columbia campus with the NYPD to take complaints. We will be directly in touch with students who have made reports to CARES about being doxed with meeting details. Anyone can make a complaint to the NYPD about being doxed. Although doxing is not illegal in New York, the NYPD can investigate if other violations have occurred, such as harassment. This is open to any individual, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

If you have additional questions about online targeting and/or doxing, please contact Dean Grinage at deanofthecollege@barnard.edu or email the Doxing Resource Group (DRG) at drg@columbia.edu. There is also a resource guide available for those who have been doxed or targeted online, which you can find here.

Sincerely,

Leslie Grinage

Vice President for Campus Life and Student Experience and Dean of the College 

Sarah Gillman

Senior Vice President, Strategic Finance and Operations

Update made on Wednesday, January 31 at 1:46 pm:
At around 11 am on Wednesday, doxing trucks were sighted passing Barnard’s campus down Broadway, according to reports from Bwog and Instagram account @barfnard. The doxing trucks displayed the phrases “Columbia antisemites, employers can now check your hate” and “Boycott, Divest, & Sanction These Antisemites.”

Barnard College via Bwog Archives