Last weekend, a Jewish man was assaulted in the Michigan college town of Ann Arbor in what police called a “bias-motivated assault.”
According to Ann Arbor police, the 19-year-old man was walking near the University of Michigan's main campus around 12:45 a.m. Monday when he was approached from behind by a group of men who asked him if he was Jewish.
“When the victim responded yes, the group of men attacked him,” the police statement said. “The suspects then fled the scene on foot.”
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Anti-Israel demonstrators protested last fall outside the on-campus residence of University of Michigan President Santa Ono in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Jacob Hamilton/Ann Arbor News via The Associated Press/File)
Police said the victim suffered minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.
“We take bias-motivated crimes very seriously and have assigned this case to hate crimes detectives. At this time, this is the early stages of the investigation and we have limited information about the suspect,” the department said in a statement.
“There is no place for hate or ethnic intimidation in the city of Ann Arbor,” Ann Arbor Police Chief Andre Anderson said.
“Our office opposes all criminal acts motivated by anti-Semitism and bigotry,” he added. “We will thoroughly investigate this and other hate-motivated incidents and work with the county attorney's office to vigorously prosecute those responsible.”
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University of Michigan police break up an anti-Israel encampment on campus. (FOX2 Detroit WJBK)
Ann Arbor police are also investigating the distribution of anti-Semitic fliers in several neighborhoods earlier this month, according to WEMU-TV.
The city is home to the University of Michigan, which, like many others, has been the site of anti-Israel encampments and protests related to the war between Israel and Hamas thousands of miles away.
President Santa Ono said in a statement that the university is working with police to investigate the alleged assault.
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“We ask that anyone with knowledge of the incident notify DPSS (University Department of Public Safety and Security) or the Ann Arbor Police Department. In return, we will hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions,” Ono said. “We firmly oppose any actions motivated by anti-Semitism and bigotry. We are committed to creating a community in which all students, faculty, staff and visitors can thrive without fear of threats, intimidation or violence.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Michigan.
