‘This incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such,’ district attorney said

Two Syracuse University students involved in throwing pork at a fraternity’s Rosh Hashanah dinner face a hate-crime charge. One student entered the frat house and threw the meat, and the second student drove the car, according to authorities.

The incident occured Tuesday at around 6 p.m., according to a statement from Syracuse’s Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves.

The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was “gathered in their chapter house to celebrate the first night of Rosh Hashanah when a student, who is not part of the fraternity, reportedly entered the fraternity house and threw meat, believed to be pork, on the floor while fraternity members were eating a dinner to celebrate this important religious holiday for the Jewish community,” Groves stated. “The student then fled in a car driven by a second student.”

Typically, Jewish people do not eat pork because it is forbidden by kosher dietary restrictions.

The two culprits were apprehended and taken into custody by the Syracuse Police Department, Groves stated, adding the students involved face Student Conduct Code discipline.

“Tonight’s incident as reported to us is abhorrent, shocking to the conscience and violates our core value of being a place that is truly welcoming to all,” Groves stated.

The two are also being charged with a hate crime, LocalSYR.com reported.

Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick told the news outlet: “Due to the date being the Jewish High Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah, it being dinner time, the food thrown being pork with obvious religious implications to the Jewish faith and the well-known fact that ZBT is a Jewish fraternity, this incident is being charged as a hate crime.”

 “…This incident is not a foolish college prank and will not be treated as such. It will be treated for what it is, a crime directed against a group of Jewish students enjoying a celebratory dinner and seemingly secure in their residence.”

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