-
-
-
Loading
Loading
Muslim students at the University of Connecticut are facing violent threats in relation to the Israel-Gaza conflict and are demanding protection. During a news conference, a former leader of a pro-Palestine campus group played a voicemail she received, which contained a racial slur. The university's Muslim Student Association also reported receiving an email that mocked dead Palestinians. Campus and state police as well as the FBI have been informed about these messages. The university administration has condemned Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and all forms of hatred. Similar incidents have been reported across the US, with both Muslim and Jewish groups experiencing an increase in hate crimes and harassment since the Hamas attacks in October. The threatening call and email received by the Muslim students came from out-of-state locations. The Muslim community and Palestinian community are seeking more support from the university, with demands for educational programs about the conflict and Islam, as well as security assurances for Muslim students. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Muslim student leaders have also urged the university to take action. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has announced plans to hold a meeting on dealing with hate crimes on college campuses. CAIR received 774 complaints following the Hamas assault on Israel in October, a significant increase compared to the month of August. The incidents involved threats, weapon use, and a knife attack that resulted in the death of a six-year-old boy and serious injuries to his mother in Chicago. Similarly, the Anti-Defamation League reported a nearly 400% increase in anti-Semitic harassment, vandalism, and assault following the Hamas attacks. Meanwhile, at Cornell University in New York, a student was arrested for allegedly posting violent threats against Jewish students, expressing intentions to bring a gun to campus and commit heinous acts.