Two Syracuse Students Charged With Hate Crime For Pork Toss Into Jewish Fraternity During Rosh Hashanah

Two Syracuse University students have been charged with burglary as a hate crime and criminal nuisance after allegedly throwing a bag of pork into the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house during a Rosh Hashanah celebration, a sacred Jewish holiday. The incident occurred while fraternity members were dining, and the pork, forbidden under Jewish dietary laws, was thrown inside and splattered against a wall and floor, causing distress and being viewed as a targeted religious attack. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick emphasized that this is not a prank but a serious crime directed against Jewish students, and Syracuse University officials condemned the act as abhorrent and intolerable. Both suspects, aged 18, were apprehended shortly after fleeing the scene, and they have been referred to the university's Office of Community Standards for potential disciplinary action. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about rising anti-Semitism on college campuses, particularly following recent geopolitical tensions. Zeta Beta Tau, a historically Jewish fraternity, has experienced harassment before, and universities continue to face challenges in addressing such religiously motivated attacks.