Arrest of NYC Exec at Syracuse U Highlights Tensions Over Campus Anti-Semitism

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Last weekend, Ronn Torossian, a public relations executive from New York City and an associate of Mayor Eric Adams, was arrested during a confrontation at a pro-Hamas encampment on the campus of Syracuse University in upstate New York, as was reported on Friday in the New York Times. The incident, which escalated into Torossian being taken into custody by campus security, has spotlighted ongoing issues of student safety, violence, and anti-Semitism that concern parents and university administrators alike.

Torossian, who is Jewish and the father of a Syracuse student, was participating in a protest with other parents against the university’s inadequate response to safety concerns in light of burgeoning campus Jew hatred. The tensions reached a peak when Torossian engaged with a student protester holding a sign that read, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free,” according to the information provided in the NYT report. Described by university officials as “especially aggressive,” his refusal to leave the scene led to his arrest. Syracuse University later issued a statement saying that “harassing behavior or conduct from anyone that creates a safety concern will not be tolerated.”

The events at Syracuse are part of a broader pattern of incidents at universities across the country, where protests and counter-protests have led to complex challenges for university administrations.The NYT report observed that the presence of non-students at these protests adds an additional layer of complexity, often blurring the lines between campus and community issues.

Torossian, known for his role in organizing fundraising events for Mayor Eric Adams, expressed frustration over the university chancellor’s refusal to meet with a group of concerned Jewish parents. According to the NYT report, these parents have been particularly vocal since the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, seeking more decisive action from university leadership to address the growing threat to Jewish students.

The catalyst for the demonstration was a distressing occurrence involving a confrontation between pro-Hamas protesters and Jewish students. According to multiple accounts, including those from witnesses, parents of an involved Jewish student, and official reports from the Syracuse Police Department, the incident unfolded over the course of a day starting at Walnut Park, the NYT report said. This location, adjacent to the university, is near several fraternity houses, including one identified as a Jewish fraternity.

The protesters, a mix of Syracuse University students and non-affiliated individuals, initially gathered at Walnut Park before marching to a campus encampment and then returning to the park. The information provided in the NYT report said that during the disbandment of the rally, a particularly hostile act occurred: a protester issued a Nazi salute directly across from the Jewish fraternity, which at that time was playing the Israeli and American national anthems at high volume. The situation escalated when a few Jewish students approached the protester to confront him, resulting in one of these students being punched in the face. The assailant then fled the scene.

In the aftermath, Torossian criticized Syracuse University for its lack of action, labeling the event as clear anti-Semitism that needed addressing, as per the NYT report. However, the university’s response, as articulated by Jeff Stoecker, the chief communications officer, highlighted a jurisdictional limitation, stating that the university does not have the authority to intervene in incidents that occur off-campus.

This stance has done little to quell the concerns of students and parents.