HIKIND CONDEMNS ANTI-SEMITIC ‘PRANK’ AT NYU

CALLS ON NYU ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE SWIFT, SERIOUS ACTION

Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) had strong words of condemnation for pro-Palestinian “activists” who targeted innocent Jewish students at NYU with threatening mock eviction notices.

Delivered by members of NYU’s Students for Justice in Palestine, notices warned students at NYU’s Palladium residence hall that their suites were scheduled for demolition. “If you do not vacate the premise by midnight on 25 April, 2014 we reserve the right to destroy all remaining belongings [sic].”

Students for Justice in Palestine has reportedly pulled similar stunts on other campuses, including earlier this year at Northeastern University in Boston. The group has been accused of glorifying Palestinian terrorists and some reports, quoted by the New York Post, say it has financial ties to Hamas, which the US government recognizes as a terrorist group.

“Disgusting is too nice a word for what these so-called activists did,” said Hikind. “Their attacks directly targeted Jewish students for no other reason than the fact that they are Jews. No one knew their political views, their opinions on Middle East policies. Maybe these students are Zionists, maybe they’re not. It would have been wrong regardless, but the point is clear. The threats and intimidation were racially motivated. This was pure hate.

“I am calling on NYU’s administration to immediately and publicly take action against those who perpetrated this act of intimidation and harassment. It would never be tolerated if it had been aimed at another ethnic or religious group and it shouldn’t be tolerated against Jews.”

Palladium Hall at 140 East 14th St. houses about 960 residents and has a high concentration of Jewish residents.

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