Police investigate as anti-Semitic vandalism raises concern at McGill
The Montreal police department’s hate crimes unit is investigating after swastika drawings found on campus at McGill University have fuelled fears of an increase in anti-Semitic sentiment among students.
Two separate swastika drawings were reported on campus over the course of the last week, discovered amid recent tensions within the university’s Jewish community stemming from student politician Igor Sadikov posting “Punch a Zionist today” on his personal Twitter account.
The university had already been embroiled in polarizing debates since its student society voted in favour of joining the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel last year. And though the decision was later overturned in an online vote, students interviewed for this article said the tension resulting from the debates never fully dissipated.
Sadikov’s tweet pushed religious debates back to the forefront of student council meetings in recent weeks, where some Zionist students reported feeling targeted as conversations about whether his tweet was an impeachable offence turned into arguments over the definition of Zionism itself.
On Monday, a third-year Arts student was taking her seat for class in McGill’s Arts building when she noticed the desk in front of her had been vandalized — four drawings of what looks like the Star of David and two swastikas with the words “Igor S” between them were scribbled in white-out fluid.
In an interview this week, the student, who’s Jewish, said the incident corroborated her fears that Sadikov’s tweet — coming from a student representative — had given others a platform to express their own anti-Semitism on campus, turning a singular incident into an escalating problem.
“It made me feel threatened, unsafe and scared on campus,” the 21-year-old student, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, said of finding the vandalism.
It’s not known how long the swastikas were present before authorities were warned. The student’s class was at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, and she hadn’t been in the room since the previous Wednesday.
“It made me feel what I imagine whoever wrote the drawings was feeling when they did. I perceived hatred and intolerance and viciousness and disgust,” she said. “This one drawing was full of all these emotions and just spitting at me.”
Montreal police were alerted about the incident and are investigating it as a possible hate crime, said Caroline Cournoyer, a commander with the SPVM’s hate crime unit. A McGill spokesperson confirmed that it was university officials who reported it to police.
The student believes word of the vandalism quickly made it to McGill’s dean of students and the school’s principal. And though she appreciates how swiftly the school responded in getting rid of the vandalized desk, she said she resents how McGill administration has stayed quiet about it happening.
“I want it to be addressed as the growing concern that it is and taken care of properly,” she said. “So I, and everyone else, can walk around campus feeling safe and protected.”
A separate incident also took place in the university’s McConnell Hall residence last weekend, where students found a swastika drawn on a whiteboard near the main entrance.
A pane of glass in the hall was also smashed around the same time, though a spokesperson for McGill said security footage has confirmed the glass was broken by mistake and isn’t considered to be related to the swastika drawing.
A statement posted to Facebook on behalf of a floor fellow and the building’s administration team said that as a result, the residence’s common spaces will be closed this weekend to “dissuade any escalation of disrespectful behaviour toward both the building and the residents.”
In a statement, Christopher Buddle, McGill’s Dean of Students, confirmed the university was aware of both recent antiSemitic incidents, that campus security investigated them and officials had acted swiftly and proactively in both cases.
“We strongly condemn such messages,” Buddle wrote. “I want to reiterate that the safety and wellbeing of all members of our community is a priority.”
Molly Harris, a third-year Arts student who has spoken out about feeling targeted as a Jew and a Zionist at a recent legislative council meeting, said there have been tense moments on campus ever since the BDS movement came to McGill in the fall of 2014. But she said she’s felt increasingly unwelcome in recent weeks.
Sadikov’s tweet and representative bodies deciding not to impeach him, Harris said, has “normalized anti- Semitism poorly disguised as anti-Zionism on campus.”
“I’ve been scared to fulfil my role as an Arts undergraduate society councillor, scared to be alone in the library, and scared to walk by myself,” she said. “I fear that I’ll be called out in class or in a meeting for identifying as a Zionist.”
Sadikov has since publicly apologized for his tweet on two occasions, referencing his own Jewish heritage and calling the comment a “misguided joke.” He resigned from the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) board of directors Thursday night, citing the McGill administration’s “irresponsible interference” with the society’s governance processes.
National Jewish groups and associations welcomed his resignation on Friday. B’nai Brith Canada called it “an important victory for Jewish and pro-Israel students and for tolerance in general at McGill.”
An impeachment vote will be held on March 9 concerning Sadikov’s remaining role as a member of the SSMU’s legislative council.
Asked about the vandalism bearing his name, Sadikov wrote in an email response that he’s utterly opposed to anti-Semitism in all its forms.
“There is a long and disturbing history of anti-Semitism at McGill, including anti-Semitism specifically directed toward anti-Zionist Jews like myself,” he wrote.
“Some of the recent anti-Semitic vandalism found at McGill has implied an association between me — a person of Jewish heritage — and Nazism. This is hateful and vile, and I condemn it.”
I perceived hatred and intolerance and viciousness and disgust. This one drawing was full of all these emotions and just spitting at me.