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                                     FSWC Petitions McGill University Administration to CombatCampus Antisemitism

February 16, 2017 – Toronto: Friends of SimonWiesenthal Center is sending the first batch of approximately 600 signedpetitions to McGill Principal andVice Chancellor Suzanne Fortier and Provost and Vice Principal ChristopherManfredi, following the university’s tepid response to a student’s call forviolence against ‘Zionists’.

                                                                                              The Petition reads

                                                                               Tell McGill University: Noto Antisemitism

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for HolocaustStudies Condemns McGill Student Union for Condoning Violence Against Jews;Advocates Dissolution of Student Council

February 14, 2017 - Friends of SimonWiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) condemns the Student’s Societyof McGill University (SSMU) Board for supporting a student leader who advisedhis Twitter followers to “punch a Zionist;”  the SSMU  yesterdayrejected a motion to remove him from the board, while targeting a Jewishstudent who called the remarks hateful. “McGill University must end thepractice of turning a blind eye to growing hostility and calls for violenceagainst Jews. It is outrageous – particularly given the tragic events at theQuebec City mosque just a few short weeks ago, that violence against a minoritygroup is not only tolerated, but supported by McGill student leaders,” saidFSWC President & CEO Avi Benlolo.  “In the absence of a concreteresponse, this promotion of antisemitic hatred appears to be tacitly permittedby the university administration. Advocating violence against any other groupwould be fiercely condemned by all parties, yet when Jewish students are thetarget, there is a deafening silence,” he added. WE call on the McGill administration to takecharge of this dangerous situation, to dissolve the antisemitic SSMU, to offersupport for Jewish students who are victimized on campus, and to launch animmediate investigation into the culture of ingrained anti-Jewish hatred atMcGill.                                              ____________________________

“Although McGill students voted against supporting the anti-IsraelBoycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement last year, this recent incidenthighlights the need for the university administration to remain on guardagainst anti-Jewish hatred, and to clearly demonstrate that the promotion ofviolence against any student will never be tolerated,” said FSWC President& CEO Avi Benlolo.

MediaContact
StaceyL. Starkman, Director of Communications & External Relations
416.864.9735 x 32 / sstarkman@fswc.ca
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Friends of SimonWiesenthal Center (FSWC) is a leading Canadian non-profit human rightsfoundation directly representing over 30,000 members. FSWC is committed tocountering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles oftolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy andeducational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, the Spirit of HopeBenefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed new Tour forHumanity. FSWC is affiliated withthe Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rightsorganization headquartered in Los Angeles, which has won two Academy Awards,has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem)and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council ofEurope and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca

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