Another Day Another University

Jewish students at York University in Toronto were forced to take refuge in the Hillel office last Wednesday night as anti-Israel protesters banged on the glass doors, chanting, “Die, bitch, go back to Israel,” and “Die, Jew, get the hell off campus.”

The students had taken part in a press conference held to call for an impeachment of the student government at York, because of a long strike by teachers’ assistants.

Hillel at York partnered with other campus groups in a campaign called Drop YFS (York Federation of Students), aimed at impeaching the student government for its support of the 12-week strike at the university, which ended on February 2.

Daniel Ferman, president of Hillel at York, said that after the number of people attending the press conference exceeded 40, organizers barred additional students from entering, citing fire regulations.

Students outside the meeting room banged on the doors and chanted “Let the colored people in,” even though students from a variety of backgrounds were present, which led to the cancellation of the press conference, according to a first person account by student Orit Tepper.

In the hallway of the student center, students attempting to exit the meeting room were greeted with cries of “Zionism equals racism!” and “Racists off campus!”