Chicago: Masked assailants attacked two Jewish students supporting Israel at Chicago’s DePaul University on Wednesday, leaving them with minor injuries and sparking concerns of potential antisemitism on the Catholic campus. The university is working closely with Chicago police to assess whether the assault constitutes a hate crime.
This incident comes amid a surge in violence against both Jewish and Palestinian Americans over the past year following Hamas’s assault on Israel and Israel’s subsequent operations in Gaza. According to Josh Weiner, co-founder of the Chicago Jewish Alliance, one of the victims, a former member of the Israel Defense Forces, wore a sign identifying himself and inviting dialogue, which may have prompted the attack. Weiner, who is acquainted with both victims, stated he had spoken with them post-incident.
University President Robert Manuel expressed the institution’s strong condemnation of the assault, emphasizing the university’s commitment to the safety and security of all students. “We are outraged that this occurred on our campus,” he stated, affirming that “for a significant portion of our Jewish community, Israel is a core part of their Jewish identity. Those students—and every student—should feel safe on our university campus.”
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Chicago police identified the victims as two men, aged 21 and 27, noting that two offenders struck the 27-year-old in the face and body while pushing the younger student to the ground before fleeing. The students were reportedly positioned near the student center, just beyond campus property. Police detectives are actively investigating, though their initial press release did not indicate a hate crime designation.
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The Chicago Commission on Human Relations documented 50 anti-Jewish hate crimes within the city during the first half of 2024, matching the total for all of 2023. In contrast, reported incidents targeting Muslims and Arabs have decreased. The city was also shaken by the recent Oct. 26 shooting of a Jewish man on his way to synagogue, who was wearing a skullcap. Authorities have since charged a 22-year-old suspect with terrorism, hate crime, and attempted murder in what they described as an unprovoked attack.
