Michigan Hockey Player Removed From Team After Alleged Anti-Semitic Vandalism

A Michigan hockey player was removed from the team after allegedly vandalizing a Jewish center on a university campus. Johnny Druskinis, a sophomore defenseman, was removed from the University of Michigan’s men’s hockey…

Elizabeth WeibelOct 5, 20233 min read

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The Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD) confirmed in a statement that two suspects had been identified in connection with an August incident involving vandalism on the sidewalk outside the Jewish Resource Center.

“After a thorough investigation, it was determined the male suspect is responsible for spray painting a homophobic slur as well as male genitalia,” the police department wrote. “The female suspect sprayed painted her initials.”

Both suspects did not have charges brought against them as “the victim in this case” did not wish to move forward with prosecution, the AAPD added in its statement.

“As an agency that strives for accountability and transparency, we have attached unedited images of the vandalism located at the JRC,” the AAPD wrote. “No further statements will be issued in connection with this case.”

A watchdog group, StopAntisemitism is arguing that Druskinis should receive a harsher punishment, according to the outlet.

“Druskinis is a Michigan student first and a Hockey player second,” Liora Rez, the executive director of StopAntisemitism said in a statement. “Fighting the nationwide campus antisemitism crisis requires recognizing that adults bear responsibility for their actions.”

Rez added that “if Michigan believed his disgusting behavior warranted dismissal from the Hockey team, they should seriously consider suspending or expelling him from the university.”

The Jewish Resource Center released a statement calling the vandalism “offensive and disrespectful, but did not include any overt anti-semitic symbols (like swastikas).”

“We have been in contact with those responsible and received a private apology, as well as a subsequent public apology. The public apology took place on Shabbat, in front of over 350 people. We deliberately chose Shabbat for the public apology, knowing it would not be recorded, and thus not contribute to further public attacks…these students aren’t bad people and certainly don’t need to have their lives ruined. While they made a poor choice, they sincerely apologized, and we have high confidence they won’t repeat such actions ever again.“

IJR reached out to the University of Michigan and to StopAntisemitism for a comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.