New York, NY, April 23, 2018… The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today welcomed Syracuse University’s swift response to racist and anti-Semitic videos created and posted online by members of the Theta Tau Fraternity.  ADL also condemned the incendiary footage and pledged support for the University’s efforts to comprehensively address issues of diversity and inclusion on campus.

The footage, discovered last week, shows members of the engineering fraternity engaging in behavior deemed “extremely racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist and hostile,” by Syracuse University’s chancellor. Among other disturbing acts, one video features an oath to “always have hatred in my heart” for groups including African-Americans, Hispanics and Jews, using instead explicit pejoratives to refer to each group. A second video targeting persons with disabilities was released Monday morning, April 23.

ADL has reached out to the leadership of both Syracuse University and Hillel at Syracuse, in the wake of the incident. ADL has offered support and resources for addressing incidents of prejudice and bigotry on campus.

“We welcome Chancellor Syverud’s statement condemning the conduct demonstrated in this video,” said Evan R. Bernstein, ADL New York Regional Director, “his recognition of the hurt such behavior causes, and commitment to making Syracuse University a place where all students ‘feel welcome and are treated with dignity and respect.’ We offer our full support and resources as SU addresses this disturbing episode.”

In response to a statement put out by the members of Theta Tau acknowledging the “pain, sadness and fear” their actions have caused, ADL is offering the organization its resources, including ADL’s A CAMPUS OF DIFFERENCE anti-bias training program.

ADL’s 2017 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents tracked a 90% increase in incidents of anti-Semitism statewide, including a rise of nearly 130% on college campuses.

The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.  Today it is the world’s leading organization combating anti-Semitism, exposing hate groups, training law enforcement on hate crimes, developing anti-bias curricula for students, countering cyber-hate and relentlessly pursuing equal rights for all. Follow us on Twitter: @ADL_NY