Hochul visits Cornell to reassure Jewish students affected by online threats
In the wake of online posts threatening violence against Jewish students and institutions at Cornell University, Governor Kathy Hochul visited the campus in Ithaca, New York, on Monday to condemn the posts as hate speech and outline the steps her government is taking to help maintain this. students safe.
“We will not tolerate threats, hatred or anti-Semitism,” Ms. Hochul said during a morning visit to the Cornell Center for Jewish Living, which was specifically singled out for destruction in the posts. “If you engage in these harmful actions, hate crimes and breaking our laws, you will be arrested and prosecuted.”
The threats were made on a website called Greekrank, where students from various universities discuss issues with fraternities and sororities, according to The Cornell Daily Sunthe student newspaper.
A number of Jewish students at Cornell heard about the threats on Sunday around 5 p.m. One message called for the demolition of the Jewish center. Others urged people to kill Jews on campus, saying they should be “eliminated.”
The messages were shared among Jewish students who were participating in a chat forum on WhatsApp at the time, said Molly Goldstein, a junior and co-chair of the Center for Jewish Living. Within minutes, Cornell police officers arrived downtown, she said, followed by officers from the Ithaca Police Department.
New York State Police officers were also present Monday morning, Ms. Goldstein said. Police vehicles blocked the driveway to the center, which includes a residence and a kosher dining hall, and officers walked the grounds.
Several Jewish students said they were grateful for the quick police response and Ms. Hochul’s visit.
“We couldn’t appreciate it more,” Ms. Goldstein said.
“Our community is scared,” she said. “Our parents are afraid. But we are strong, and we are proud, and we will continue to live and be our Jewish selves.”
State police have increased their presence on college campuses in New York following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, Ms. Hochul said, and the New York State Intelligence Center has increased efforts to monitor social media for anti-Semitic hate speech. The FBI was alerted to the messages as a potential hate crime, Ms. Hochul said.
Speaking about the Jewish students at Cornell, Ms. Hochul said, “I want them to know that they are not alone, that they are supported by New York State. The terrorists, the people who threaten them, will not be able to find refuge here.”