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Hillel Denounces Concordia Incident as Anti-Democratic
September 12, 2002Comments (0) | Add | E-mail this to a friend(Washington, D.C.) Hillel condemns the violent, anti-democratic riot that prevented a Hillel-sponsored speech by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Concordia University in Montreal yesterday.
"It is absolutely outrageous that on the eve of September 11 a mob could displace intellectual discourse with violence," said Hillel President and International Director Richard M. Joel. "This anti-democratic manifestation is a blow against academic freedom and the very basis of democracy: freedom of expression. The university should take disciplinary measures against those who perpetrated these acts and should revise policies to prevent similar outrages in the future."
Local newspapers report that police used pepper spray to control 200 demonstrators who occupied the building in which the former prime minister was scheduled to speak, throwing chairs and newspaper boxes at police. Police arrested at least five people as other demonstrators tried to get into the building by smashing a window. Individuals attempting to attend the Netanyahu lecture were physically attacked by the demonstrators.
Concordia Hillel student President Yoni Petel said: "Hillel students at Concordia will not cave in to this intimidation. This is a disgusting new low in anti-Israel activities."
"This incident violates the freedom, mutual respect and pluralism that make Canada great," said Ariela Cotler, the president of the Board of Montreal Hillel. "This violates the Canadian and Quebec Charters of Rights and Freedoms. It sets a poor precedent for the education of our young people. It should be denounced by anyone who wishes to instill pride in our culture and create a new generation of Canadian leaders."
Wayne Firestone, the director of Hillel's Center for Israel Affairs, added: "Hijacking a college campus with acts of violence, threats, intimidation and censorship is fundamentally undemocratic. Israel's detractors, in their distorted logic, are mistaken to view with pride the behavior of zealots."
Montreal Hillel is working with Jewish community leaders, university administrators and local officials to address the situation.
Montreal Hillel provides opportunities for 7,000 Jewish college students at nine universities and colleges in the Montreal metropolitan area to explore and celebrate their Jewishness. The largest Jewish campus organization in the world, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, is committed to creatively empowering and engaging Jewish students through its network of over 500 regional centers, campus foundations, program centers and affiliates. Its long-standing dedication to building Jewish identity, while nurturing intellectual and spiritual growth in a pluralistic community, positions Hillel as a leader in building a stronger Jewish people and stronger Jewish future. For more information, visit Hillel.org.
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