Hateful Posters Strike University of Rochester

Antisemitism on college campuses has hit an all-time high since the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict. The University of Rochester recently experienced a nasty wave of hate when anti-Israel students plastered threatening posters targeting Jewish faculty and staff. The posts accused them of severe crimes like genocide and war crimes, using harsh language from the Wild West. The university's president, Sarah Mangelsdorf, was also targeted. She spoke out, declaring this as antisemitism and promising it wouldn't be tolerated. The posters had a strong adhesive, causing damage to university property. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer labeled the act as antisemitic intimidation. The Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester expressed deep concern, pointing out the lies and misinformation in the posters. Four individuals have been arrested for the incident, facing felony charges. They argue it's free speech, but experts say it's a hate crime. Under New York law, a hate crime involves targeting someone due to their ancestry or religion, which clearly happened here. The DA must charge and prosecute this as a hate crime to ensure safety on campuses.