Cornell University Halts Classes After Student’s Antisemitic Threats

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In light of a student’s online threats against Jewish individuals on campus, Cornell University suspended classes on a recent Friday. Patrick Dai, a 21-year-old junior at Cornell, is facing charges for transmitting threats to kill or harm via interstate communications. Authorities identified Dai as the individual responsible for the ominous remarks on a digital Greek Life forum over a weekend. Subsequent to his initial appearance in federal court, Dai was detained without bail.

The resulting apprehension led university officials to deploy police personnel for safeguarding a Jewish center and a kosher dining facility, responding to heightened concerns among the student population. As a precautionary measure, Cornell Hillel, a campus-based Jewish entity, recommended students and faculty to avoid the aforementioned dining establishment.

Highlighting the tense atmosphere in the preceding weeks, an official spokesperson from the Ivy League institution communicated the rationale behind the decision to suspend operations that Friday. Consequently, faculty members and non-essential staff were granted leave.

In the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict, there has been a noticeable surge in both antisemitic and anti-Muslim narratives on digital platforms.

U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, in a dialogue with Jewish students from colleges in the Baltimore region, expressed his profound dismay at the occurrence of antisemitic episodes on various college campuses nationally. Emphasizing his department’s commitment, Cardona reassured the students, “We are fully committed to ensuring your safety on campus.”

The threats made by Dai were pinpointed through tracing his IP address. As per a legal document, Dai acknowledged to the authorities his act of posting the threatening messages. One specific post alarmingly indicated an intention to target “104 west”, a dining location at Cornell which serves kosher meals and is situated adjacent to the university’s Jewish center. Additionally, Dai posted threats of introducing a firearm on campus with the intent to target Jewish individuals.

A preliminary court session has been slated for November 15. Gabrielle DiBella, Dai’s federal public defender, has yet to provide comments concerning Dai.

Cornell University’s President, Martha E. Pollack, in an official statement, conveyed her dismay at discovering the perpetrator was a student from Cornell, while also noting relief that the individual behind the deeply offensive antisemitic posts has been apprehended. Following these events, Dai’s enrollment at Cornell has been temporarily revoked.

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