‘Punch a Zionist’ tweeter quits last McGill student government post

MONTREAL — The McGill University student who tweeted “punch a Zionist today” gives up his last remaining student government title, citing “personal reasons related to mental health.”

Igor Sadikov, 22, a political science major at the Montreal school, resigned last week from the Student Society legislative council.

Sadikov, who had described his Feb. 6 Twitter post as nothing more than a bad joke, had faced pressure to resign but refused. He cited his own Jewish roots and the fact that he had pro-Israel parents, and also issued a carefully worded apology.

But the McGill administration and pro-Israel students and organizations who considered him anti-Semitic or as inciting violence against Jews never relented. He resigned from the board of directors of McGill’s Student Society on Feb. 23, and pre-empted a move by the Student Society’s legislative council to impeach him on March 9 by resigning from the body a day earlier.

In the wake of Sadikov’s actions, the society’s president also resigned, without explanation.

Efforts continue through an online petition to have Sadikov expelled.

— JTA