For Immediate Release
Montreal, September 9th, 2002 — Jewish students assembling to hear former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak at Concordia University were assaulted and abused by anti-Israel protesters. The speech was ultimately cancelled by the authorities because the police were unable to ensure Netanyahu’s safety on campus. Riot police were called out, and pitched battles erupted with violent demonstrators, while the entire audience was detained inside the building for their own safety.
Rabbis and community leaders were kicked, punched and spat upon as they attempted to enter the auditorium. B’nai Brith Canada, which had issued a warning prior to the event, is demanding that the perpetrators of this violence be arrested and charged. It asks that the organizers of the demonstration be sanctioned for purposefully creating an atmosphere of violence, intimidation and incitement.
Professor Stephen Scheinberg, a Concordia professor and National Chair of B’nai Brith Canada’s League For Human Rights, commented: “This conduct by pro-Palestinian elements on campus is reflective of ‘Islamist Fascism’. Free speech and democracy died here today.”
Rochelle Wilner, President of B’nai Brith Canada, is seeking answers. “We have been assured that the streets of Canada’s cities are safe for Jews. We have been told that freedom of speech must prevail on campus. Of what use are these assurances when Jewish students are trampled and spat upon, when a former world leader is kept from speaking by violence?”
Frank Dimant, Executive Vice President, asserted: “We cannot allow groups that clearly do not understand the meaning of free speech and democracy to hijack our university campuses. This is just another escalation of anti-Jewish activity in Canada. We call on the administrators of universities Canada-wide to join with B’nai Brith in a strong stance against this type of intimidation, coercion and violence. The Jewish community must not be lulled into a false sense of business as usual.”
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For further comment, contact Professor Stephen Scheinberg at (514) 696-5991 or Raphael Lallouz at (514) 886-6844.
B’nai Brith has been active in Canada since 1875 as the community’s foremost advocacy and volunteer organization.
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