Two Syracuse University students charged with hate crime after pork attack on Jewish fraternity
18-year-olds charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance tied to Rosh Hashanah at Zeta Beta Tau; university and local prosecutors say it targeted Jewish students
Two Syracuse University students, both 18, were charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance in connection with an incident Tuesday at the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity during Rosh Hashanah, campus police said. The Onondaga County District Attorney's Office said the charges stem from an act that targeted a Jewish fraternity during a Jewish holiday.
Authorities say the incident began when a student not affiliated with the fraternity entered the house around 6 p.m. and threw a bag containing pork inside as members were eating dinner. The meat, which was in a clear plastic bag, splattered against an interior wall and the floor, according to university police. The two 18-year-old Syracuse students fled the residence in a vehicle driven by a second student and were later captured. Both suspects were charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance.
SU chief student experience officer Allen Groves condemned the incident, calling it abhorrent and a violation of the university’s core value of being welcoming to all. "Tonight’s incident as reported to us is abhorrent, shocking to the conscience and violates our core value of being a place that is truly welcoming to all," Groves said. "It will not be tolerated at Syracuse University." Groves noted the case would be referred to the university’s Office of Community Standards for potential disciplinary action under the student conduct code.
Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said the hate crime charge reflects that the act occurred on a Jewish holiday at a historically Jewish fraternity. "This incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such," Fitzpatrick said. "It will be treated for what it is, a crime directed against a group of Jewish students enjoying a celebratory dinner and seemingly secure in their residence." The two students were also referred for potential disciplinary action under the university’s student conduct code, according to SU officials.
The incident adds to ongoing concerns about how hate-motivated conduct is handled on campuses, with university and local authorities stressing that acts targeting protected groups are treated seriously and investigated thoroughly. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
