Penn State condemns hate messages and doxxing of students who commented on war messages between Israel and Hamas

Penn State condemned hateful posts and doxxing after a number of students were doxxed online over the weekend after commenting on posts about the war between Israel and Hamas.

Penn State said it rejects all forms of hatred and discrimination in a statement released Sunday, in which it said the number of reports of bias on campus has increased in recent days, along with an increase in comments “hateful and malicious” online about Israel. Hamas War. These comments came from both the Penn State community and outside, the release said.

Penn State received about three times as many reports of bias last week as the week before, university spokesman Wyatt DuBois said in an email Monday.

“Anti-Semitic, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim comments have no place at Penn State and are completely inconsistent with the university’s values,” the statement said. “We unequivocally reject all forms of hatred, discrimination, harassment and bullying, as well as the online vitriol that perpetuates this cycle. These actions violate our values ​​as an academic institution.

He added that Penn State condemns both the hateful messages and the resulting targeting and doxxing. The university defined doxxing as someone publicly sharing another person’s private information without their consent.

“Disclosure of personal information with the intent to incite intimidation, harassment and threats to personal safety is unacceptable. This abhorrent behavior has no place in our society,” the statement said.

At least one ACcount on X, formerly Twitter, doxxed more than a dozen Penn State students; some posts received tens of thousands of likes and thousands of reposts. Most posts include their name, photo, and college major.

Penn State said it has contacted all students who reported bullying and harassment and offered them assistance and resources.

Penn State Hillel, the foundation for Jewish life on Penn State’s campus, released its own statement Sunday declaring that between the anniversary of the October 7 attacks and through Yom Kippur, the campus experienced “several anti- “aggressive Israeli attacks from students and community members.” , and a number of our Jewish students at Penn State have been victims of hate and anti-Semitic incidents.

Penn State Hillel said it was concerned about these incidents, as well as “malicious activity on social media,” which it said is aimed at doxxing Jewish students.

“We condemn these attempts at public intimidation against students and members of our Jewish community. We also do not support hatred or hurtful comments directed against anyone. There must be no place at Penn State for anti-Semitism, doxing, or hatred of any kind,” Penn State Hillel’s statement read.

No Jewish students were physically harmed or harmed, the statement said. Incidents were reported to law enforcement and Penn State.

IWhen it was released, the university urged everyone to show empathy.

“We urge every member of our community to demonstrate empathy and respect, recognizing the complexity of each person’s experiences, particularly when tensions are high. By fostering spaces of care and support and upholding the dignity of each individual, we can create a more resilient foundation for understanding and unity. This approach is essential to building an inclusive community, where everyone feels valued and respected,” the statement said.

The university has provided several resources for anyone experiencing harassment or threats on social media, or whose personal information has been exposed.

If Penn State students are found to have been part of the direct threats or harassment, the university said its Office of Student Accountability will work to hold them accountable.

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