A University of Massachusetts Amherst student was arrested after allegedly punching a Jewish student and spitting on an Israeli flag at the end of a vigil Friday night, school officials said.
The unidentified students were accused of attacking their peers at an event where empty chairs were set up at the Shabbat table to represent the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas fighters during their Oct. 7 terror attack.
The suspect first approached attendees and aggressively gave them the finger before leaving, according to UMass Hillel, which organized the service.
But the same student returned shortly after and allegedly punched a Jewish student holding an Israeli flag before yanking it from the victim’s hand, the organization said. The attacker later reportedly spat on the flag.
The horrific incident was witnessed by university staff, UMass Hillel said.
UMass Hillel says there is no ongoing security threat, but encourages students to walk in groups at night and not engage with counter-protesters.WWLP
UMass police investigated a “very disturbing incident” and made an arrest that same night, school officials said in a message to students. The victim was not injured, the school said.
The guilty student was released on bail, but prohibited from returning to campus, said Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life Shelly Perdomo-Ahmed and Assistant Vice Chancellor and Police Chief Tyrone Parham.
“What these students are accused of is reprehensible, illegal, and unacceptable,” the two school leaders said in a joint statement. “Let’s be clear, this is the action of an individual who is not speaking or acting on behalf of a group or other people.”
UMass Hillel said there was no ongoing security threat, but encouraged students to walk in groups at night and not engage with counter-protesters.
The suspect first approached the participants and aggressively gave them the finger before walking away.X / @SophieBHauck The guilty student was released on bail but not allowed to return to campus.WWLP
College campuses have seen a rise in antisemitism since Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,400 Israelis in a surprise attack, prompting the Israel Defense Forces to bomb Gaza.
“We know this incident is disturbing to many of us, especially at a time when tensions, emotions and concerns are running high on our campus,” UMass Hillel said in a statement. “But we cannot allow the most extreme voices and actions to create undue fear or dominate the campus climate.”
Perdomo-Ahmed and Parham also said in their statement, “Antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of bigotry has no place in our community, and we are committed to ensuring that our community’s engagement with opposing viewpoints is maintained in a respectful manner.”
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
