This past week has been a very difficult one for Jewish community members. South of the border, antisemitic hatred has been given a platform by public personalities, and that has had a chilling effect across the country and the world. Sadly, Queen's has also seen the emergence of this sentiment with swastika graffiti and messages of violence at various locations on campus and more recently reported through social media.
Where we have been able to address it, we have acted as swiftly as possible, condemning these violent and discriminatory acts. Some situations, however, have been more challenging to address where information about the activity or the perpetrators has been limited. Regardless, these heinous messages have done damage to our community and we have a responsibility to investigate and wherever necessary take action.
I want to be very clear that there is no place at Queen's for antisemitism or for hate or violence of any kind against any member of our community. We will not tolerate it and we will speak against it and take action whenever and wherever we can. Ours is an inclusive campus and we value and respect all our members.
If you have experienced discrimination or harassment, there are supports for you on our campus. If you witness any acts of hatred or violence, report them. We are committed to ensuring Queen's is a welcoming community for all of us, and only by acting together will we ensure that is our reality.
Patrick Deane
Principal and Vice-Chancellor