Man arrested after attacking Jewish students at University of Pittsburgh
Two students treated for injuries caused by unidentified suspect; antisemitism on the rise on US campuses since October 7
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — One person was arrested after an attack on a group of Jewish students on the University of Pittsburgh campus, the school said in a statement.
Two of the students were treated at the scene for injuries after the man, who was not identified, attacked them using a bottle near Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning, according to a statement released Friday.
“The alleged perpetrator, who has no known Pitt affiliation, was immediately arrested by Pitt Police and is in custody,” the statement said. There was no information about what charges the suspect might face.
University leaders were in contact with the Hillel University Center and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
There was no ongoing threat to the public and counseling was made available.
“To be clear: Neither acts of violence nor antisemitism will be tolerated,” the statement said. “Local and federal partners are supporting Pitt Police in this ongoing investigation.”
Antisemitism has been on the rise in the US since the Hamas October 7 attacks, which saw terrorists invade Israel and kill some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnap 251.
Hostility toward Jews has been particularly prevalent on campuses, where anti-Israel protest encampments often harassed Jewish students who support Israel.
In 2018, a gunman killed 11 people at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, marking the deadliest attack on a Jewish community in US history.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
