Two Syracuse University students have been charged with a hate crime for allegedly throwing a bag of pork into a Jewish fraternity house during Rosh Hashanah, one of the most sacred days on the Jewish calendar.
An official at the upstate New York school stated that the incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 6 p.m. at the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house during an ongoing student celebration marking the Jewish New Year.
One of the suspects is accused of entering the fraternity house and throwing a plastic bag of pork against a wall, spilling its contents on the floor, per university police.
The suspect then fled into a vehicle, which the second suspect drove.
Both 18-year-olds were caught soon thereafter and charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance.
The hate crime charge materialized due to the incident taking place on a Jewish holiday, according to William Fitzpatrick, district attorney of Onondaga County.
“This incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such,” Fitzpatrick stated. “It will be treated for what it is: a crime directed against a group of Jewish students enjoying a celebratory dinner and seemingly secure in their residence.”
Jewish law prohibits eating pork, and its presence in a kitchen renders the area unkosher.
Allen Groves, Syracuse’s chief student experience officer, stated that the incident “is abhorrent, shocking to the conscience and violates our core value of being a place that is truly welcoming to all.”
“It will not be tolerated at Syracuse University,” he added.
The suspects have been referred to the private school’s community standards office and may face disciplinary action for violating the university’s student code of conduct.
