Hostage posters displayed in public spaces were torn down, damaged, or defaced in documented incidents after October 7. ADL recorded at least 57 incidents of hostage fliers being taken down or vandalized on U.S. campuses during its 2023–24 campus reporting period. ADL’s campus report.
What the incident count measures
ADL grouped removal and vandalism together and described the 57 as recorded incidents. It also reported that at least five campus events featuring October 7 survivors or their families were protested.
ADL’s broader one-year report also described removals and damage in U.S. cities and campus settings, including confrontations in some cases. ADL’s one-year review.
Specific incidents provide context
News reports have described individuals caught removing posters and instances where hostage images were covered or vandalized.
For example, Fox News reported a New York City incident in which a woman was filmed tearing down hostage posters and connected her to then mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Fox News report on the filmed incident.
Documenting without assuming motive
Hostage posters name and depict people taken by Hamas. The ADL reports document poster removals and vandalism across U.S. campuses and cities, along with protests at events featuring October 7 survivors or their families.
See also stories and status of the hostages and the category evidence guide.