Antisemitic Assault at UMich

An antisemitic assault occurred at the University of Michigan on November 10.

WDIV-TV reported that the assault was reported to the police on November 12. The victim, an unidentified student at the university, alleged that a male student grabbed her arm and then lobbed antisemitic comments at her. The assailant is described as being a 5’10” white male with brown hair and was wearing a university baseball cap. The University of Michigan Police Department concluded that the assault was “ethnic intimidation.”

A friend of the victim’s told WDIV that the incident was “upsetting” to the victim but she’s trying to take it “in stride.” “Unfortunately things like this still happen here,” the friend said, saying that the victim has heard hateful comments on campus before.

A spokesperson for the university told the Journal, “Antisemitism, ethnic intimidation or hateful speech of any kind have no place at the University of Michigan. These types of attacks are in direct conflict with our deeply held values as a university.” The spokesperson also told the Journal “that no one yet has been able to identify the person who made the assault.”

Jewish groups condemned the assault.

“Our hearts go out to the student and the family during this stressful time,” Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Michigan Regional Director Carolyn Nomandin said in a statement to the Journal. “ADL Michigan is working closely with law enforcement, Hillel and other university staff in an attempt to find the suspect and bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion. We would like to thank the University of Michigan Police Department, the students and the staff for their support and we encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact authorities. Because hate crimes tend to follow trends in societal antisemitic and racially charged rhetoric, it’s important for all of us to be vigilant and call out hate speech when it happens.”

StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein similarly said in a statement to the Journal, “StandWithUs condemns this horrifying antisemitic assault. No one deserves to be physically or verbally attacked for their ethnic identity, or for any reason. With the clear rise of antisemitism, the time to address it in all its forms, is now. We strongly suggest that universities like University of Michigan educate their campus communities by adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism, which will help to define antisemitism and may prevent future attacks like this one. We call on the administration to firmly condemn this attack and to act swiftly to address antisemitism on its campus. We thank UMPD for taking this incident seriously and hope that the perpetrator is apprehended and held accountable.”

Stop Antisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez also said in a statement to the Journal, “It’s frightening to see antisemitic incidents like these increasing at schools like the University of Michigan, which has generally been a safe haven for Jewish students. This tide of antisemitism we’re seeing at Universities across the country––perpetrated by both the free Palestine movement and white supremacy groups––have one goal: to stoke fear in Jewish communities everywhere.”

Jewish on Campus tweeted, “All Jewish students have to do is exist to be a target of antisemitic violence. Jewish students deserve safety. We hope the student is okay and that the assailant is caught.”

We are disgusted to hear of the antisemitic assault on a student at @UMich. All Jewish students have to do is exist to be a target of antisemitic violence. Jewish students deserve safety.

We hope the student is okay and that the assailant is caught. https://t.co/rRc53VqqVx

— Jewish on Campus (@JewishonCampus_) November 17, 2022