Global anti-Semitism
Photo: Reuters
Another anti-Semitic incident took place in a Canadian university Thursday when over 100 anti-Israel activists surrounded a campus building belonging to the Jewish student club 'Hillel' at York University, Toronto. The activists pounded on office doors while yelling out racial slurs.
Campus security was forced to alert police to restore order and the latter demanded that the offices be shut down.
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An anti-Israel march is also scheduled for Friday, and 'Hillel' leaders have called on Jewish students to arrive with Israeli flags in order to show support for the country.
But anti-Semitism also took its toll outside of the campus. A Jewish student reported receiving a phone call during which an unidentified person threatened his life and those of his family members if he were to continue his pro-Israeli activities in the university.
Bert Camp, of York Police, said the case was being investigated by the hate crimes unit because the threatened student is a well-known pro-Israeli figure on campus. Camp said the threats were in all probability related to Israel's offensive in Gaza.
York University, one of the largest in Canada, is home to many Jewish and Israeli students, and many of its faculty members are Jewish. But in recent years the number of Muslim students on campus has increased, and its student council has been characterized as anti-Israeli. The council published statements condemning Israel during its operation in Gaza.