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 student is accused of assaulting his classmate at an event where empty seats were placed at a Shabbat table to represent the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas fighters during their Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. .
The suspect first approached the participants and aggressively pointed his finger at them before walking away, according to UMass Hillel, which organized the solemn meeting.
But the same student returned shortly after and allegedly punched the Jewish student who was holding an Israeli flag before snatching it from the victim’s hands, the organization said. The assailant then reportedly spat on the flag.
The disconcerting incident was witnessed by university staff, UMass Hillel said.
UMass Hillel said there is no ongoing security threat, but encouraged students to walk in groups at night and not interact with counterprotesters.WWLP
UMass police investigated the “deeply disturbing incident” and made an arrest that same night, school officials said in a message to students. The victim was not injured, the school also said.
The offending student was released on bail but is prohibited from returning to campus, said Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and University Life Shelly Perdomo-Ahmed and Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chief of Police Tyrone Parham.
“What this student is accused of is reprehensible, illegal and unacceptable,” the two school leaders said in a joint statement. “Let us be clear: These were the actions of an individual who did not speak or act on behalf of a group or anyone other than himself.”
UMass Hillel said there is no ongoing security threat, but encouraged students to walk in groups at night and not interact with counterprotesters.
The suspect first approached the participants and aggressively pointed his finger at them before walking away. X / @SophieBHauck The offending student was released on bail, but is prohibited from returning to campus. WWLP
College campuses have seen rising cases of anti-Semitism since Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,400 Israelis in a shocking attack, prompting the Israel Defense Forces to bomb Gaza.
“We know this incident is disturbing for many of us, particularly at a time when tensions, emotions and concern are running high on our campus,” UMass Hillel said in its statement. “But we must not allow the most extreme voices and actions to create undue fear or dominate the campus climate.”
Perdomo-Ahmed and Parham further said in their statement: “Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or any form of intolerance have no place in our community, and we are committed to ensuring that our community’s engagement with opposing views is maintained in a respectful manner. “.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn