Cody Balmer pleaded guilty to attempted murder, terrorism, and arson after firebombing the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion. The attack occurred in April 2025, during the holiday of Passover, while Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were in residence. As part of a plea deal, supported by Shapiro, Balmer was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
A memorial in honor of the Israeli hostages in Gaza on the two-year anniversary of October 7th was vandalized multiple times at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon. The display was ripped from the ground and defaced by unidentified individuals. Jewish students were also verbally harassed and threatened during the memorial. The Dean of Students released a statement condemning the incidents.
The National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers union in the U.S., sent an email to all three million members that labeled the state of Israel as “Palestine.” The map was included with links that reportedly justified or defended the October 7th attacks. Following backlash to the email, the NEA removed some of the content from its website, admitting it did not meet their standards, but did not remove the map.
Over 1,000 anti-Israel activists in the UK protested the Israel-Hamas war on October 7th on more than a dozen UK campuses. Jewish students on those campuses reported widespread harassment, including being shouted at, which left many fearful of attending classes. The protests featured rhetoric used by Hamas, including the “beloved resistance” and “glorious Al-Aqsa flood.” In response, British Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urged university leaders to protect Jewish students.
Northwestern University blocked nearly 300 students from registering for fall classes after they refused to complete a mandatory antisemitism training module. The students criticized the training, labeling it as “offensive,” “unscholarly,” and containing “inaccurate historical information” that allegedly favored Israel. The university emphasized that while students are not required to agree with the content of the modules, which also includes a session focused on anti-Arab hate, they must “attest that they will abide by the Student Code of Conduct.”
The U.S. government launched a federal investigation into allegations of antisemitism across all 22 campuses of the California State University (CSU) System. CSU released a statement confirming the investigation and pledging its full cooperation with the federal government. The university system also condemned antisemitism, emphasizing its commitment to “fostering an inclusive, respectful, and supportive” environment for all students and faculty.