Even before the terror attacks of October 7, there was already trouble brewing at the University of Pennsylvania under the leadership of former President Liz Magill. In one of two separate incidents, a student ran into the Penn Hillel building yelling “F*** the Jews!” and broke some furniture. Another student broke into an apartment on campus and stole an Israeli flag. Both incidents were reported as antisemitic incidents and investigations were undertaken. Liz Magill released a statement saying the school is “unwavering” in its commitment to ensure that Jewish students feel safe. We all know how things went downhill after that. But to this day, Penn is refusing to say whether any disciplinary action was taken against the two students. (Free Beacon)
In the weeks before and after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, two University of Pennsylvania students were arrested in anti-Semitic incidents that shook the Philadelphia campus. One stormed into the Penn Hillel building, yelled “F—k the Jews,” and destroyed furniture. Another stole an Israeli flag from an apartment near campus.
Both incidents generated media attention, and the school released a lengthy statement addressing the Hillel intrusion the day after it occurred. “We unequivocally condemn such hateful acts. They are an assault on our values and mission as an institution and have no place at Penn,” then-university president Liz Magill said in a statement. “We are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring our Jewish community feels safe and supported on our campus.”
What Penn will not say is what, if any, disciplinary action the students faced and whether they remain students at the Ivy League school. A spokesman for the University of Pennsylvania did not respond to a request for comment.
Despite the fact that the vulgar person in the Penn Hillel incident was initially arrested by campus police, the male student has yet to be named. The police and the administration know his identity, but the school claims that they can’t release the name publicly because “no charges have been filed.” They also refuse to confirm whether or not he is still enrolled at the school. They did go so far as to claim that he was “suffering from a mental health crisis.”
We do at least know the name of the student who stole the Israeli flag. Her name is Tara Tarawneh and she went on to speak at an antisemitic rally in Philadelphia after the theft on October 20, 13 days after the terror attack. There, she described feeling “so empowered and happy” when she heard about the Hamas attack on Israel. She was finally arrested for the theft on November 4.
While Penn has confirmed that Tarawneh was arrested and was enrolled at the school, they have refused to comment further on the story when contacted by reporters. But “campus sources” have told reporters that she remains enrolled at the school and has avoided disciplinary action. There is no word as to whether or not she’s been having a “mental health crisis” but she has published a couple of columns defending her words and actions.
What possible explanation is there for the University of Pennsylvania to remain mum about these cases and take no action in response? They continue to protest questions and allegations of rampant antisemitism on their campus, claiming that journalists are either blowing things out of proportion or simply don’t understand the situation. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t they want to show that the documented cases of antisemitic activity are being dealt with appropriately? Is this how they propose to ensure that Jewish students on their campus “feel safe?”
It’s sounding more and more as if there was never any misunderstanding in the first place. The situation on campus was already a dangerous mess even before the October 7 attacks and the ensuing protests around the country. Antisemitism at the University of Pennsylvania was already a problem and the exit of Liz Magill did not correct it.