UMass Amherst Student Arrested for Assaulting Jewish Peer Israeli Flag at Campus Vigil

Student punches fellow attendee at "Bring Them Home: Solidarity Walk and Installation" demonstration calling for release of Israeli hostages, sparking discussion on growing number of alleged anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses nationwide.

A student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst was arrested after allegedly assaulting a Jewish student at a peaceful protest calling for the return of hostages taken by Hamas. The accused reportedly punched the victim, who was holding an Israeli flag, and then spat on the flag.
The incident took place at the end of a 'Bring Them Home: Solidarity Walk and Installation’ event, which was organized by UMass Hillel, a Jewish organization on campus. The event included symbolic Shabbat tables with empty seats representing each hostage abducted during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.
The alleged attacker, whose name has not been released, first approached participants, made rude gestures, then left before returning to assault the victim. Following the arrest, the accused student was released on bail, with conditions prohibiting them from returning to campus.
UMass officials, as well as UMass police, condemned the student’s actions as 'reprehensible, illegal, and unacceptable,' stating that such aggression will not be tolerated and doesn’t represent the views or behaviors of the wider student community.
This incident comes amid rising tensions on college campuses following the recent conflict between Hamas and Israel, which has led to an increase in reported anti-Semitic incidents nationwide. In response to the incident and rising tensions, UMass Hillel has urged students to walk in groups at night and avoid engage in counter-protests.