When you consider the violent rhetoric coming from even members of Congress, is anyone surprised by this?
Boston.com reports:
UMass student charged for allegedly punching Jewish student, spitting on flagA University of Massachusetts Amherst student is facing charges after allegedly attacking a Jewish student and spitting on an Israeli flag following an on-campus demonstration Friday.The alleged assault happened just after UMass Hillel held an event calling for the release of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. UMass Hillel said in a statement that as the gathering was ending, a student walked through the crowd “aggressively giving people the middle finger.”“After the event had concluded and event security had left, the same student returned to the site of the event and punched a Jewish student holding an Israeli flag, then took the flag and spit on it,” UMass Hillel said.UMass police investigated and arrested the student Friday night, university officials said in an email to the community.“What this student is accused of is reprehensible, illegal, and unacceptable,” Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life Shelly Perdomo-Ahmed and Chief of Police Tyrone Parham said in the email. “Let us be clear, these were the actions of an individual who did not speak for nor act on behalf of a group or anyone other than themselves.”Neither UMass Hillel nor university officials named the student charged in the alleged attack, identified in court records as Efe Ercelik.Ercelik pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; larceny; vandalism; assault and battery; assault and battery with intent to intimidate; and disorderly conduct. Boston.com has reached out to his attorney for comment.
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