Logo

Cornell University was put on high alert after a series of “horrendous, antisemitic” messages — including threats to rape and gun down Jewish students and even behead babies — were posted on a public forum, school officials said.

The upstate New York Ivy League school said campus cops were taking precautions — and had alerted the FBI to “a potential hate crime” just days after “F—k Israel” graffiti was also scrawled on campus sidewalks.

The “series of horrendous, antisemitic messages threatening violence” had specifically named 104 West, “the home of the Center for Jewish Living,” university president Martha Pollack said Sunday.

The vile threats were made throughout the weekend on Cornell’s Greekrank forums, which rank fraternity and sorority chapters, according to the student newspaper, the Cornell Sun.

One of the posts called for people to follow Jewish students home and slit their throats — while others called for female Jewish students to be raped and for Jewish babies to be beheaded in front of their parents.


  The hateful messages were posted on an online forum following the Hamas attack on Israel. X/cbouzy The hateful messages were posted on an online forum following the Hamas attack on Israel. X/cbouzy

  The campus at Cornell was on high alert Sunday after a series of antisemitic posts were written online. Getty Images The campus at Cornell was on high alert Sunday after a series of antisemitic posts were written online. Getty Images

Another post, titled, “if i see another jew” by a poster called “hamas” wrote, “if i see another synagogue another rally for the zionist globalist genocidal apartheid dictatorial entity known as “israel”, i will bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you pig jews [sic].”

The post continued: “Jews are human animals and deserve a pigs death. 

“Liberation by any means. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free [sic]!” it said, using an expression calling for the eradication of the Jewish state.


  The university president Martha Pollack strongly condemned the threats. Cornell University The university president Martha Pollack strongly condemned the threats. Cornell University

  The messages are part of a disturbing rash of hate associated with the Cornell campus in the wake of the Hamas attack. X/cbouzy The messages are part of a disturbing rash of hate associated with the Cornell campus in the wake of the Hamas attack. X/cbouzy

Cornell Hillel said it was aware of threats made against the 104West, which houses the school’s kosher and multicultural dining hall, and advised students and staff to avoid the building “out of an abundance of caution.”

The Cornell University Police Department said in a community alert for Ithaca that “evidence suggests the targeted locations were intentionally selected because of perpetrator’s bias.”

“Threats of violence are absolutely intolerable, and we will work to ensure that the person or people who posted them are punished to the full extent of the law,” Cortnell preisdent Pollacklso wrote.


  Another post by someone with the user name “jew evil” titled “jewish people need to be killed” [sic] called for students to follow Jewish students home from campus and slit their throats. X/cbouzy Another post by someone with the user name “jew evil” titled “jewish people need to be killed” [sic] called for students to follow Jewish students home from campus and slit their throats. X/cbouzy

“Our immediate focus is on keeping the community safe; we will continue to prioritize that.”

“We will not tolerate antisemitism at Cornell. During my time as president, I have repeatedly denounced bigotry and hatred, both on and off our campus,” Pollack also wrote in her Sunday statement.

“The virulence and destructiveness of antisemitism is real and deeply impacting our Jewish students, faculty and staff, as well as the entire Cornell community.”


  The school notified law enforcement agencies and campus police were taking precautions. X / @samaberman The school notified law enforcement agencies and campus police were taking precautions. X / @samaberman

  One hateful message specifically named the 104 West building, the home of the Center for Jewish Living. X/cbouzy One hateful message specifically named the 104 West building, the home of the Center for Jewish Living. X/cbouzy

  The messages specifically named the 104 West building (above), the home of the Center for Jewish Living. Google Maps The messages specifically named the 104 West building (above), the home of the Center for Jewish Living. Google Maps

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that state police will “take any steps needed to keep students safe.”

“The disgusting & hateful posts on a message board about Jewish @Cornell students is the latest in a series of concerning incidents on college campuses,” Hochul wrote.

The sickening messages come just days after graffiti was scrawled on university sidewalks that included messages like “F—k Israel” and “Zionism = Racism.”

Earlier this month, a professor called the Hamas attack on Israel that left 1,400 dead “exhilarating” and “energizing.” Russell Rickford, an associate professor of history, is now on a leave of absence until at least the end of the semester.


  The statement released by the school. The FBI has been told of a potential hate crime at the upstate New York Ivy League school amid the Israel-Hamas war.
 The statement released by the school. The FBI has been told of a potential hate crime at the upstate New York Ivy League school amid the Israel-Hamas war.

  History Professor Russell Rickford, who has come under fire for praising the Hamas attacks in Israel. Rickford is now on a leave of absence until at least the end of the semester. @samaberman / X History Professor Russell Rickford, who has come under fire for praising the Hamas attacks in Israel. Rickford is now on a leave of absence until at least the end of the semester. @samaberman / X

There has been a spike in antisemitism across the country and on college campuses since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, leading the Jewish state to retaliate against the terror group.

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy