Two students from Syracuse University have been charged with hate crimes after one allegedly threw a bag of pork into a Jewish fraternity house amidst a Rosh Hashanah celebration.
The event took place at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, where members were commemorating the Jewish New Year, as reported by the university’s chief officer for student experiences, Allen Groves.
According to the university police, one of the accused entered the fraternity house and hurled a clear plastic bag containing pork against a wall, causing the contents to scatter on the floor and walls.
After the incident, the man fled the scene and entered a vehicle driven by an accomplice. The two suspects, both aged 18, were quickly apprehended and charged with burglary as a hate crime along with criminal nuisance.
According to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, the hate crime charge was brought forth because the act occurred on a Jewish holiday at a fraternity with a historical connection to the Jewish community.
“This incident is far from a mere prank and will be treated as such,” stated Fitzpatrick. “It is a crime aimed at a group of Jewish students who were celebrating and should have felt safe in their home.”
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According to Groves, both suspects have been referred to the university’s Office of Community Standards for possible disciplinary actions in line with the school’s student conduct policy.
“The incident reported tonight is repugnant, deeply distressing, and contradicts our fundamental value of being a welcoming place for everyone,” Groves expressed in a statement on the university’s website. “Such actions will not be tolerated at Syracuse University.”
