A student from Cornell University in New York, Patrick Dai, 21, has been detained after being accused of issuing violent threats against Jewish students in court. Allegedly, Dai threatened to bring a firearm to the university campus, assault Jewish women, and harm Jewish infants.
Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, the engineering student faced charges for threatening to injure or kill another person using interstate communications, a crime that carries a potential sentence of up to five years.
Reports first emerged from Cornell Daily Sun, the college’s newspaper, about antisemitic comments appearing on Greekrank, a website unaffiliated with Cornell but frequented by its students. A particularly alarming post by a user named “hamas” had the title “if I see another jew.”
Dai’s parents, in communication with the New York Post, shared that their son has battled “severe depression.” His father conveyed his belief that Dai’s emotional state was uncontrolled due to his mental health challenges. Before his arrest, the family lost touch with Dai, prompting concerns about his wellbeing.
Cornell University expressed its shock and firm condemnation of the antisemitic threats, advocating for full legal action. In the upcoming days, the institution plans to increase security measures on campus.
This incident at Cornell is a reflection of a broader, concerning trend, as antisemitic incidents have been on the rise nationwide. The FBI Director, Christopher Wray, highlighted to a congressional committee the disturbing rise in antisemitic abuse in the US, noting that while Jewish Americans make up roughly 2.4% of the population, they are victims of approximately 60% of all religion-based hate crimes.