Beginning Saturday evening and throughout the day Sunday, anonymous internet users posted threats against Cornell’s Jewish community.
The users posted to the social media platform Greek Rank – a fraternity- and sorority-focused platform for discussing greek life on college campuses. Using pseudonyms such as “hamas,” the users threatened Cornell’s Jewish population with violence. (Editor’s note: the threats are too extreme and vulgar for the Review to reprint in good conscience).
In addition to threats against Jewish people themselves, posters spoke of attacking 104West! – the Kosher dining hall on West Campus – and the Center for Jewish Living.
The Cornell University Police Department is treating the threats as a serious matter and are “on scene and investigating.” Sources have reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Ithaca Police are also investigating the threats.
104West! and Cornell Hillel released a statement advising students to “avoid the building out of an abundance of caution.”
The posts attracted the immediate attention and condemnation of Cornell president Martha Pollack, who sent a Sunday evening email to the Cornell community disavowing the posts.
Threats of violence are absolutely intolerable, and we will work to ensure that the person or people who posted them are punished to the full extent of the law. Our immediate focus is on keeping the community safe; we will continue to prioritize that.
We will not tolerate antisemitism at Cornell. During my time as president, I have repeatedly denounced bigotry and hatred, both on and off our campus. The virulence and destructiveness of antisemitism is real and deeply impacting our Jewish students, faculty and staff, as well as the entire Cornell community. This incident highlights the need to combat the forces that are dividing us and driving us toward hate. This cannot be what defines us at Cornell.
Martha Pollack
Authorities have not provided any update about the perpetrators. As yet, their identity – including whether or not they are Cornell students – is unknown.
Late Sunday evening, New York State Attorney General Letitia James commented on the developing situation. In a Twitter post, she described the threats as “absolutely horrific.” She has not yet indicated whether New York State will investigate the threats.
Most of the offending Greek Rank posts have been removed, but (as of 10:00 PM on Sunday), at least one still remained on the website.
A month of turmoil
This threat of terrorism comes after weeks of escalating tensions between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine students on campus. Most recently, still-unknown perpetrators spray-painted anti-Israel messages on sidewalks across campus. Messages included “Zionism = racism” [sic] and “Free Palestine” among many others. Cornell dispatched cleanup crews to clean (or resurface, if necessary) the affected areas.
Campus unease began with Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel of almost one month ago, which resulted in the death of more than 1,400 Israelis. Immediately following, Cornell came under national scrutiny for a series of incidents across campus.
On Friday evening, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi sent an email to the campus community urging tolerance and understanding. He also added that “behaviors such as doxxing, vandalism, or harassment are counter to [Cornell’s] values, as are racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.”
This is a breaking news story. Please check back to the Cornell Review for updates as they become available.
