The President of Cornell University has announced that its Police are investigating the threat of violence against the Jewish students at the University.
“Earlier today, a series of horrendous, antisemitic messages threatening violence to our Jewish community and specifically naming 104 West — the home of the Center for Jewish Living — was posted on a website unaffiliated with Cornell,” President Martha E. Pollack said in a statement Sunday.
The messages have posed a direct threat to Jewish students, they have also encouraged others to do the same and all these are coming in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
At many universities, students are engaging in fervent protests as some administrators — including those at elite institutions such as Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
Antisemitic incidents in the US increased nearly 400% in the days after the October 7 attacks by Hamas, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
According to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the police will increase their security on Cornell’s campus following the threats.
“I came here in person with one strong message: that we will not tolerate threats, or hatred or antisemitism or any kind of hatred that makes people feel vulnerable,” Hochul said.
“If you’re going to engage in these harmful actions, hate crimes, breaking our laws, you will be caught and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the governor said.
The Biden administration is announcing new actions Monday aimed at combating antisemitic incidents on college campuses across the country.
The FBI has also been notified about the threats.
“The FBI is aware of the threats made to Cornell University’s Jewish community,” the agency said in a statement.
“We take all threats seriously and are working closely with Cornell and our law enforcement partners at every level to determine the credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action.”
“We encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement,” the statement added. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our communities and we will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism.”
There are approximately 3,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate Jewish students at Cornell.
