TORONTO — Campus security was called to a pro-Israel event last week at York University after a crowd of students surrounded a Hasbara information table and two students were allegedly slapped.
Hasbara Fellowships, a Jewish group on campus, was running a campaign with permission from the university to raise awareness about Hamas and Gilad Schalit, a kidnapped Israeli soldier, when several students began arguing with the information booth’s organizers about the legitimacy of their campaign, called Hamas: the Obstacle to Peace.
According to Tyler Golden, Hasbara’s co-president, who was at the Feb. 1 event, two Hasbara members took out cameras as the argument escalated, and were hit while students tried to get away from the cameras.
He said two Jewish students were slapped, one on the arm and the other across the face.
“About 50 or so anti-Israel students surrounded us and started asking questions and it led to a heated debate,” Golden said, adding that he had been told by York administration to film any anti-Semitic incidents that might occur.
“Anti-Israel slurs were shouted to the point where two Jewish students brought out cameras… it resulted in two Jewish students being slapped.”
Golden said that some of these slurs included phrases like: “Go back to where you came from” and “You’re from an apartheid state.”
Marlee Mozeson, co-president of Hasbara, was one of the students who took out a camera during the incident.
“First a girl approached me and started asking me questions. After awhile, she started to become very hostile… I had my camera out to take pictures and videos,” she said. “I guess she didn’t want me to have her on camera. She slapped me on my arm and slapped the camera out of my hand.
“Four or five of us called security, because obviously we were exceptionally nervous.”
Two university security officers arrived on the scene. Students were asked by security if they wanted to involve the police, but declined.
Toronto police were not called “because we wanted to give the university a chance to put its system into place,” Golden told JTA.
He said a complaint was lodged with York’s Student Conduct and Dispute Resolution Office.
After reviewing security tapes, the university also chose not to involve the police in terms of a possible assault, but did refer the case to the Toronto Police hate crimes unit, said Alex Bilyk, York’s director of media relations.
The university has appointed an adjudicator in the wake of the incident, Bilyk said.
He added that about 30 students were involved in the incident in total and that he wasn’t aware of receiving any video from Hasbara.
“There were allegations made about some slurs… since we don’t have audio [from the security tape], obviously we turned it over [to the police],” he said, explaining that the university has started its own investigation under the code of student conduct.
Det. Gary McQueen of the Toronto Police Service hate crimes unit said the incident was investigated and no charges will be laid. He added that police will be meeting with students and the administration to talk about how to handle similar incidents.
“There will be further consultation with the stakeholders [about] strategies on how to better handle controversial situations,” he said.
Jennifer Diamond, assistant director of Israel affairs at Hillel of Greater Toronto, thinks Hasbara’s campaign is legitimate.
“The material that Jewish students were presenting revealed that Hamas is an acknowledged terrorist organization which has imposed oppressive rule on the people of Gaza,” she said.
“That anti-Israel students chose to aggressively confront Jewish students is unacceptable and fuels a toxic environment on campus.”
In response to the incident, the university posted a statement on its website that said “York deplores any comments and actions that are racist or anti-Semitic in nature.”
Hasbara also put out a press release last week commending York University for its “swift investigation into the violent incident… Hasbara Fellowships at York University is confident that after… the implementation of new codes and practices on campus, [the] investigation will lead to quick action against the perpetrators.”
Mozeson said Hasbara continued with its campaign all last week.
“We’ve had a few people coming up to the table and arguing with us, but it’s been relatively quiet,” she said.
“I think this is just an opportunity for the university to open up a new chapter [for] a safe environment, a place where Jewish students do not feel that they have to hide what they believe in.”
A year ago, a group of Jewish students at York were barricaded in the Hillel lounge by a mob yelling anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slurs. Police had to escort the Jewish students out of the building. Two York students, including a member of the student council, were reprimanded for the incident.
In response to that and other incidents involving Jewish students, York established a task force. Among its recommendations were the creation of more student space for studying and socializing, and the expansion of the Student Code of Conduct.
With files from JTA
