Explaining the inverted red triangle symbol that appeared at the Penn encampment this week
The red triangle, which appeared at the Benjamin Franklin statue at the University of Pennsylvania this week, has taken on different meanings in the war in Gaza.
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A symbol of the war in Gaza that has circulated online and been used in rallies appeared this week at the site of the pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Pennsylvania.
The symbol is a red inverted triangle, with two corners facing east and west and a third corner facing south. Its meaning is contested in a war that has seen Palestinian deaths surpass 34,000 after Hamas’ October attack on Israel.
Protesters at Penn defaced a statue of Benjamin Franklin on Wednesday by drawing the inverted red triangle on his forehead. By Thursday, the symbol had been washed off, but it returned on Friday at the base of the statue. A Palestinian flag was wrapped around Franklin’s neck, and two small red triangles could be seen at the statue’s base with the words “intifada until victory.”
On Friday morning, police cleared the site of the encampment. Students at the university had for over two weeks maintained an encampment, joining others across the country who have been calling on universities to divest their endowments from companies that benefit from the war in Gaza.
What does the inverted red triangle symbol mean?
To some, the triangles are a symbol of Palestinian resistance, according to Al Jazeera. A red triangle is present in the Palestinian flag, which includes black, white, and green stripes, the news outlet notes in a video about the triangles. The triangles can originally be traced back to Hamas videos where they were used to point out targets, such as an Israeli tank that is subsequently seen blowing up, according to Al Jazeera.
The triangle has also taken on other meanings.
While the symbol can be used “innocuously in general pro-Palestine social media posts,” according the Anti-Defamation League, it is also used to glorify the use of violence by Hamas in anti-Zionist memes and political cartoons, according to the ADL’s glossary of extremism and hate. The triangle can represent “support for violent Palestinian resistance against Israel,” according to the organization.
The triangle has also been used in a video shared by Israeli military’s spokesperson for the Arab media division pointing out Palestinian targets, according to Al Jazeera. The video addresses the Hamas military spokesperson and notes, “Our triangle is stronger than yours.”