Pro-Hamas Foreign Terrorist Organization Tied to Destructive Takeover at University of Washington
On 05 May 2025, a Building Siege Influenced by Designated Foreign Terrorist Entity Samidoun Inflicted Over $1 Million in Damages and Prompted Over 30 Arrests
On 05 May 2025, more than 30 protesters at the University of Washington affiliated with Students United for Palestinian Equality & Return (SUPER) were arrested for trespassing, property destruction, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy after barricading themselves in the university’s engineering building and causing over $1 million in damages. The perpetrators destroyed engineering equipment, set fire to furniture, and broke doors and windows while occupying the building.
Following a review of open-source intelligence by the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America, SCN’s Duty Desk is confirming its assessment that the groups actions were inspired by a foreign terrorist entity.
Organized by SUPER, the group released a manifesto shortly before its actions. The document praised the 07 Hamas terrorist attack as a “heroic victory” and explicitly stated that SUPER’s destructive building takeover was inspired by directives issued by a foreign organization and published by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. Authorities have identified Samidoun as a fundraising funnel for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States, Canada, European Union, and others. Samidoun has been designated as a terrorist entity by Canada and Israel.
This was not a protest. This was a deliberate, destructive, and illegal operation influenced — in the words of those who undertook their criminal activity — by a designated terrorist entity. When individuals in America are mobilized by the directives of a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization like Samidoun it should sound the alarm for everyone. The infiltration of a foreign terror organization into American life, and on our campuses, presents a clear threat to our national security. I commend the swift action taken by law enforcement and the University of Washington to arrest the perpetrators. SCN will continue to monitor developments and remain vigilant as we work to keep the Jewish community as safe and secure as possible.
SCN National Director & CEO, Michael Masters
This incident follows SCN’s March discovery of a violent protest manual alleged to be from Hamas’ media office circulating among university students and online forums. Uncovered by SCN’s Duty Desk, the manual included detailed instructions for conducting surveillance, destroying property, and evading law enforcement, underscoring the coordinated and escalating nature of the threat environment on college campuses.
In response to this growing threat, SCN launched Operation SecureOurCampuses in August 2024, expanding safety and intelligence support to more than 50 high-risk colleges and universities. The initiative includes the deployment of full-time intelligence analysts, enhanced coordination with law enforcement and public safety officials, and targeted security support for Jewish campus organizations.
As part of this effort, SCN co-hosted a national campus safety roundtable with the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) and the FBI, bringing together officials from 92 universities across 24 states. The discussion led to the development of 10 key recommendations for university administrators to strengthen preparedness, enforce campus safety policies, and build closer partnerships with law enforcement to protect Jewish students and staff.
In 2024, SCN tracked more than 500 campus security and suspicious activity reports. These incidents included assault, terroristic threats, harassment, and vandalism, highlighting a growing pattern of targeted intimidation and violence. To report a campus security incident to SCN’s dedicated campus monitoring database, please visit reportcampushate.org.
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