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A pupil is demanding Concordia College take instant steps in opposition to antisemitism and violence directed at Jewish college students on campus or face authorized motion.
In a Jan. 12 letter addressed to the college, Neil Oberman, a lawyer with Spiegel Sohmer, says Concordia has grow to be a spot of “violence and hate” and that nothing is being performed to handle the worry that Jewish college students have attending courses on campus.
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Concordia was thrust into the headlines within the days and weeks after warfare broke out between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7.
Police have been referred to as to the college’s Corridor Constructing in November when violence erupted between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli teams. One individual was arrested, and Concordia banned two non-students from returning to the campus.
Written on behalf of a pupil who needs to stay nameless for worry of his security, the letter says there have been threats made in opposition to Jewish college students, antisemitic graffiti, group harassment of Jewish college students, lecturers appearing to advertise hate and a pupil union supporting anti-Jewish rhetoric. All this has created a local weather of worry for Jewish college students to the purpose that they don’t really feel comfy sporting the Star of David or something that identifies them as Jewish.
“Concordia has the authorized and ethical obligation to guard college students on campus, no matter their origin, race or political views,” Oberman mentioned in a information convention Thursday.
The letter additionally requires the college to cease funding the Concordia Pupil Union (CSU) and to dismantle Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), saying these teams are advocating hate towards Jews.
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Lastly, it calls on the college to expel Bara Abuhamed, calling him a recognized agitator who threatened the scholar who doesn’t want to be named within the letter. The letter says Abuhamed has been enrolled as a pupil since 2016, and he stays registered as a pupil in order that he can proceed to unfold messages of hate and violence.
Oberman mentioned the college has failed in its duties to take care of a correct studying setting for all teams, not simply these representing Jews.
“The local weather on campus is totally unacceptable,” Oberman mentioned. “It shouldn’t require a pupil to rent a lawyer for them to convey stability to their campus.”
As for Abuhamed, Oberman mentioned the college should act to expel him.
“The allegation of our consumer is that he’s not a pupil,” he mentioned. “He’s there to agitate, to convey teams from the skin to intervene with good college students who wish to be taught.”
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The letter calls for Concordia president and vice-chancellor Graham Carr reply in writing to stipulate the steps the college plans to cease antisemitic acts on campus and supply security to all college students, the way it will dismantle SPHR and defund the CSU, and what measures it’s going to take to take away antisemitic graffiti. It additionally asks the college to decide to expelling Abuhamed. The letter units a deadline of Jan. 25 and says if there isn’t an applicable response, different authorized avenues may very well be explored. Oberman refused to stipulate what additional authorized actions he’s considering if Concordia fails to adequately reply.
This isn’t the one authorized motion being taken in opposition to Concordia. In November, a bunch petitioned the Superior Courtroom to permit a class-action swimsuit looking for $15 million in damages for Jewish college students, college and employees at present on the faculty or who attended or labored there within the final three years.
Talking for the college, Vannina Maestracci mentioned Concordia wouldn’t remark about pending authorized proceedings. The Montreal Gazette reached out to Abuhamed, however didn’t acquire a response by the point of publication.
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