Yazmeen Deyhimi was upset that the flyers did not include Palestinians, says a spokesman
Individuals tear down photos of Israeli hostages on NYU’s campus
Individuals can be seen ripping down photos of Israeli hostages outside of New York University’s Tisch Hall. SSI_NYU on X
A New York University student caught on video ripping down Israeli hostage posters on campus confessed in a social media post and blamed her actions on "misplaced anger."
Yazmeen Deyhimi and two others were recorded Oct. 16 tearing down the flyers outside NYU’s Tisch Hall, sparking public outrage and calls to identify the perpetrators.
Deyhimi came clean on Instagram and apologized before scrubbing her account.
"I have found it increasingly difficult to know my place as a biracial brown woman, especially during these highly volatile times," she wrote, according to a screenshot of the since-deleted post. "I have felt more and more frustrated about the time we currently find ourselves in, and misplaced that anger into actions that are not an accurate representation of who I am as a person."
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NYU student Yazmeen Deyhimi and two others were captured on video tearing down Israeli hostage posters on campus. Deyhimi has since apologized. (SSI_NYU on X)
The student – who is an advocate against Muslim bigotry and bullying – insisted she hopes that the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas will be safely returned.
"In this age of social media and digital footprint, these moments of anger are selfish and self-absorbed, and not reflective of who I am as a person or who my family had raised me to be," she wrote. "What I can say with certainty is that I unequivocally stand against terrorism and the inexcusable loss of innocent lives and hope all hostages are freed."
Deyhimi – who once interned for the Anti-Defamation League – was identified by her classmates after the footage went viral.
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An NYU student and two others were captured on video ripping down Israeli hostage posters on campus. The posters were then stuff in the trash. (SSI_NYU on X)
The 14-second clip shows Deyhimi and another woman in khaki pants ripping dozens of flyers off the wall as a man in a hoodie walks over to help them.
"Today we witnessed 2 NYU students violently tearing down posters of kidnapped babies, mothers, and grandmothers hanging outside of NYU Buildings," SSI_NYU wrote on X.
The account included a photo of the women appearing to smile as they clutched the crumpled papers before discarding them in the trash.
The second woman has also been identified by her peers online as an NYU student, but Fox News Digital was not able to confirm this.
WATCH THE VIDEO OF NYU STUDENT YAZMEEN DEYHIMI AND TWO OTHERS RIPPING DOWN ISRAELI HOSTAGE POSTERS
The man in the footage has not been identified. Following the incident, a Change.org petition was launched calling on the university to take disciplinary action against Deyhimi and the other female student.
"These posters were not promoting any political agenda but were simply trying to promote the efforts to return hostages back to their families," says the petition, which has garnered more than 7,000 signatures.
A spokesman for Deyhimi, Mike Paul, released a statement Wednesday to Fox News Digital. "She is very, very sorry but, please look at her history," he wrote. "Always helping others. Always having a heart of love and caring for all people. Her heart is full of love and not hate."
The New York University building entrance. (Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Paul said that Deyhimi took down the posters because she was upset that Palestinians were not featured in the display.
"Her frustration was that innocent children, teens, adults and elderly were also being killed, who are also Palestinians, who are NOT Hamas," Paul wrote.
An NYU spokesman, Joseph Tirella, told Fox News Digital that the university is investigating.
"We take the matter seriously, and we're looking into it," he said.
The Israel-Hamas War has triggered heated demonstrations and confrontations on college campuses across the U.S.
The war broke out Oct. 7 when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that targeted civilians. Israel responded with retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza.
At least 1,400 people in Israel and nearly 3,000 in Gaza have been killed.
Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
Rebecca Rosenberg is a veteran journalist and book author with a focus on crime and criminal justice. Email tips to
