A Syracuse University Rosh Hashanah fraternity dinner was interrupted on Tuesday night when a student threw a piece of pork into the fraternity house, Syracuse chief student experience officer Allen Groves said.
While brothers of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity were gathered in their chapter house to celebrate the beginning of the Jewish new year with a festive meal, another student who wasn’t a fraternity member entered the house and threw the meat.
The student then fled in a car driven by a second student, but both were apprehended by the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety the same day. The two students were taken into custody by the Syracuse Police Department and face hate crime charges.
Groves added that pending the outcome of an investigation by the community standards department, the offending students may also face university disciplinary action.
“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,” said Groves. “It will not be tolerated at Syracuse University.”
The fraternity said on Instagram that it was heartbroken and outraged by the incident, which it saw as an attack on its home, values, and safety. The incident was an attack on every Jewish student on campus, said ZBT.
'Standing against hate'
“Zeta Beta Tau does not stand for antisemitism or any form of hate within our community,” said the fraternity. “Let this act be a reminder that we are stronger together, standing against hate and fostering safety and inclusion on our campus.”
Syracuse City Auditor Alexander Marion called the incident “absolutely horrifying” on X/Twitter on Wednesday, and urged a universal condemnation of antisemitism.