Latest news with #hatecrimes
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Massachusetts is training campus police to handle hate crimes in 2025
Last year, a student at Berklee College of Music told a Jewish classmate that 'Jews belong in the oven.' And at Smith College, a spray-painted Israeli flag with a swastika replacing the Star of David was found on campus. The incidents were both part of an increase in antisemitic incidents across Massachusetts, a rise that included college campuses. As campuses work to better address antisemitism and other hate crimes, college administrators and police chiefs from across Massachusetts got a crash course in understanding trauma and how to confront hate through a program designed in part by Massachusetts State Police. The program spanned two days at the state police headquarters in Framingham last week, and comes as college campuses across the state prepare to welcome students back amid crackdowns on higher education from the Trump administration and lingering tension over the war in Gaza. For Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, or MACLEA, President Kerry Ramsdell, the chief of the Endicott College police department, the training couldn't have come at a better time. 'We've seen a lot here in Massachusetts on our campuses, and thankfully, we've done a lot of training and investigating and collaboration already, but it's just sort of continuing to learn and broaden that as we come back,' she said in an interview following the first of 10 modules the program will cover. State police designed the program with experts from the Rutgers University Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. On the first day of the program, numerous officials from the agencies responsible for setting it up spoke to participants, including state police Col. Geoff Noble and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan. 'We are here to provide any resources that we can, that we have,' Noble told the crowd. 'There are challenging days ahead,' Ryan said, adding that antisemitic incidents surpassed race-based hate crimes in Massachusetts last year. 'But you have the privilege of working in some place where people are there to learn, where they bring really great minds together.' 'You, as part of that institution, can address these problems,' Ryan added. The state's Executive Office of Public Safety and Security documented 466 hate crimes in Massachusetts last year, down from 561 the year before. But incidents of religious bias went up, with 153 documented in 2024. Of the 153 incidents involving religious bias, 85% reflected anti-Jewish bias, according to the state's data. The Anti-Defamation League gave multiple Massachusetts colleges a failing grade for their handling of antisemitic incidents in 2023. In 2024, the organization bumped up the institutions' grades, but indicated more work needed to be done. On Thursday, much of the first module, led by Robert Czepiel Jr., a former prosecutor in New Jersey, and Brian Christensen, a former hate crimes investigator there, focused on defining trauma and hate crimes for the roughly 100 participants. Christensen and Czepiel emphasized that not all hate incidents rise to the level of a crime, particularly given freedom of speech. 'When you're dealing with hate crimes, you gotta go that extra step,' Christensen said. 'To prove a hate crime is very difficult. You would have to prove that person did it because of one of the protected characteristics.' As an investigator, Christensen preached being proactive, trying to step in before incidents of hate rise to the level of a crime. He also stressed the importance of creating relationships in the community, which Ramsdell, the Endicott chief, said was one of the key lessons her department learned amid student protests in the spring of 2024 over the war between Israel and Hamas. There is a lot of work any department can do before reacting to an incident, she explained. 'Building those trust factors and building those relationships on our campuses and outside ... to help support that if we did react or have something, it would all be about that sort of collaboration is a lesson learned,' Ramsdell said. While Ramsdell acknowledged it can be difficult to get students to the table, she said engaging directly with them is a major part of the job. Campus law enforcement officers are trained to go meet and interact with students from the first year they're on campus, rather than waiting for them to come to the department, she explained. 'That's the unique part of our campus law enforcement culture, is that we sort of do that, but I think it's still evolving. It's not perfect and I don't think anyone has the perfect answer to it,' she said. Tufts University Police Capt. Mark Roche, the organization's vice president, said simply, the standard is to be a human first. 'Establish those relationships before the crisis, so that you're not working to establish those relationships and try to build that trust while there's an ongoing crisis,' he said. 'We're all just lifelong learners.' More Higher Ed Did the Defense Dept. cancel a grant to Harvard, then pay it anyway? Harvard extends hiring freeze, says Trump actions could cost school $1B a year Trump admin halted Harvard grant, but Defense Dept. still paid it, court docs say Student loans just got riskier and more expensive. Here's how A reckoning: Trump's attacks are inspiring self-reflection in higher ed Read the original article on MassLive.

CBC
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Canada's envoy for combatting antisemitism leaving post early
Canada's special official for fighting antisemitism announced on Thursday that she is retiring her post, three months before the end of her term. Deborah Lyons served as Canada's special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism since October 2023, and was set to serve until this October. In a social media post announcing her departure, she did not explain why she is leaving before then. Lyons did say that she is leaving "with a heavy heart" and with some deep disappointments while also pointing to achievements, including work with institutions like universities to improve understanding of anti-Jewish hate. She said her office fought antisemitism "with a vigour and passion not seen in many other countries," and yet she leaves with concern over Canadians who feel they must pick a side when it comes to defending humanity. "Support to one community should never mean, or be interpreted as, minimizing another community. Our value of inclusivity has at its core our ability to hold the concerns of multiple communities in our hearts and minds," Lyons wrote. "It was troubling in the last few years to see our lack of patience, lack of tolerance and inability to reach out across the gulf to one another." Lyons took up the role just days after the start of the Israel-Hamas war that prompted large protests across Canada, which triggered a spike in hate crimes targeting Muslims and especially Jews. She says her office managed to "counter the negative imagery of Canada's struggle with antisemitism that followed October 2023." She says there must be "seamless co-operation amongst the three levels of government to combat hate" and joint efforts from business, education and faith sectors. WATCH | Lyons speaks with Rosemary Barton Live in 2023: Communities are seeing a lot of emotion and anger, says Canada's new special envoy on antisemitism 2 years ago Rosemary Barton speaks with Deborah Lyons, Canada's new special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, about the rise in antisemitic incidents across Canada and why leaders and schools need to do more to combat hate. "This is an issue right across the country," said Lyons. On Monday, Lyons took the unconventional step of releasing a report about issues that fall squarely into provincial jurisdiction, urging Ontario school boards to take seriously incidents of anti-Jewish bigotry targeting students, after she commissioned a survey of Jewish parents with children in the province's schools. Lyons was the second person to hold the post of antisemitism envoy, following former attorney general Irwin Cotler, who filled the role between 2020 and 2023. She is not Jewish, but served as Canada's ambassador to Israel between 2016 and 2020. In a statement, Canadian Heritage said Lyons's replacement will be appointed "in due course." "The special envoy is retiring to spend more time with her family after reaching the milestone of turning 75 and a distinguished career in the public service," the statement said. Her departure prompted messages of support from Jewish advocates.


CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Spain tightens scrutiny of far-right groups after clashes
MADRID: Spain said on Thursday (Jul 17) it would step up investigations into suspected crimes by members of far-right and racist groups after four nights of clashes with African migrants in some of the nation's worst such unrest of recent times. Authorities have detained 11 people and filed more than 60 complaints over hate crimes and disorder since violence erupted last Friday following an attack on a local man in his 60s in the town of Torre Pacheco in southeastern Murcia region. Police have detained three Moroccan men over the attack in a town where one third of the inhabitants are of migrant origin. The Interior Ministry said Spain's terrorism and organised crime intelligence specialists have been asked to include hate crimes within their remit and to monitor online spaces for incitement to violence. Far-right groups will be investigated for links to national movements, the ministry said, after government claims that Vox, the nationalist party that is now Spain's third largest electoral force, was inciting violence in Torre Pacheco. "We cannot allow hatred to take root in our society," Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said during a meeting of law enforcement officials. "Crime is not on the rise, nor is it linked to migration," he added, countering a common refrain of far-right groups. Vox has denied responsibility for the unrest and blamed the socialist-led government's migration policies. Despite a 54 per cent rise in foreign residents between 2011 and 2024, crime has dropped seven percentage points, with hate crimes down 13.8 per cent last year and Spain among the world's 25 safest nations, Grande-Marlaska said. "UNACCEPTABLE ATTITUDES" As well as the Torre Pacheco trouble, in Alcala de Henares, west of Madrid, there were protests earlier this month after a man - identified as Malian by El Pais newspaper - was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault outside a migrant reception centre. Four people arrested during an unauthorised protest in front of the same centre are being investigated for disorder. Grande-Marlaska condemned the Torre Pacheco attack that triggered the unrest and highlighted swift police action to detain the three suspects including the suspected main perpetrator who was attempting to flee to France. Calls went out on social media for people to go to the town to "protect Spaniards" and "hunt north Africans". "These are unacceptable attitudes that have grown in recent years, encouraged by anonymity on social media, but also, and more seriously, by irresponsible politicians," the minister said. Spain has been open to migration and its economic benefits, even as other European governments have tightened borders. But debate has reignited, led by Vox, as plans to relocate unaccompanied underage migrants from the Canary Islands to the rest of Spain have been confirmed in recent weeks.


Reuters
4 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Spain tightens scrutiny of far-right groups after clashes
MADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Spain said on Thursday it would step up investigations into suspected crimes by members of far-right and racist groups after four nights of clashes with African migrants in some of the nation's worst such unrest of recent times. Authorities have detained 11 people and filed more than 60 complaints over hate crimes and disorder since violence erupted last Friday following an attack on a local man in his 60s in the town of Torre Pacheco in southeastern Murcia region. Police have detained three Moroccan men over the attack in a town where one third of the inhabitants are of migrant origin. The Interior Ministry said Spain's terrorism and organised crime intelligence specialists have been asked to include hate crimes within their remit and to monitor online spaces for incitement to violence. Far-right groups will be investigated for links to national movements, the ministry said, after government claims that Vox, the nationalist party that is now Spain's third largest electoral force, was inciting violence in Torre Pacheco. "We cannot allow hatred to take root in our society," Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said during a meeting of law enforcement officials. "Crime is not on the rise, nor is it linked to migration," he added, countering a common refrain of far-right groups. Vox has denied responsibility for the unrest and blamed the socialist-led government's migration policies. Despite a 54% rise in foreign residents between 2011 and 2024, crime has dropped seven percentage points, with hate crimes down 13.8% last year and Spain among the world's 25 safest nations, Grande-Marlaska said. As well as the Torre Pacheco trouble, in Alcala de Henares, west of Madrid, there were protests earlier this month after a man - identified as Malian by El Pais newspaper - was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault outside a migrant reception centre. Four people arrested during an unauthorised protest in front of the same centre are being investigated for disorder. Grande-Marlaska condemned the Torre Pacheco attack that triggered the unrest and highlighted swift police action to detain the three suspects including the suspected main perpetrator who was attempting to flee to France. Calls went out on social media for people to go to the town to "protect Spaniards" and "hunt north Africans". "These are unacceptable attitudes that have grown in recent years, encouraged by anonymity on social media, but also, and more seriously, by irresponsible politicians," the minister said. Spain has been open to migration and its economic benefits, even as other European governments have tightened borders. But debate has reignited, led by Vox, as plans to relocate unaccompanied underage migrants from the Canary Islands to the rest of Spain have been confirmed in recent weeks.


Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Labour's move to create official definition of Islamophobia is condemned as 'nonsensical'
Labour 's move to create an official definition of Islamophobia is about 'policing thinking and speech' rather than protecting Muslims, Sir Trevor Phillips has said. The former chairman of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission said it was 'nonsensical' to introduce a government-backed definition because there were plenty of existing laws protecting Muslims from hate crimes. He branded it a 'Leninist manoeuvre' because it could be used to shut down free speech and legitimate criticism about some aspects of Islam. Speaking at a debate in Parliament, he added: 'If you are a Muslim in Britain are you [already] protected? Yes. End of story. We don't need a definition. We have perfect legal remedies against discrimination. There are much more important things to deal with.' He said it was 'illiterate' to suggest that Muslims are 'a race' for the purposes of drawing up a definition. Tory MP Claire Coutinho, a former Cabinet minister, said a definition was being drawn up by the 'back door' without 'democratic consent'. She warned it is likely to be counterproductive because it could spark a 'backlash' against Muslims rather than help to protect them, in the same way trans activists were derided after the Supreme Court 's landmark ruling on gender being based on biological sex in April went against them. 'This is not commanding public support. It's a push from radical activists,' she added. She warned it could lead to public sector workers, as well as university staff or students, living in fear of facing disciplinary action if accused of doing or saying something that falls foul of the definition. While there is a definition for anti-Semitism, set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Sir Trevor and Ms Coutinho said this made sense because it was launched specifically to deal with the issue of Holocaust denial. But there was no equivalent purpose for defining Islamophobia, they added. The Tories' housing and local government spokesman, Kevin Hollinrake, said Labour's move was purely 'for political reasons' and would be a 'disaster' for free speech. Baroness Spielman, the former boss of schools watchdog Ofsted, said it threatened to entrench ultra-conservative interpretations of Islam. She told how she had once backed a primary school headteacher who did not want six and seven-year-old girls being forced into wearing hijabs in the classroom, adding: 'But I had 1,100 letters accusing me of Islamophobia for backing the headteacher of the primary school. It had a chilling effect on other schools.' She said creating an official definition of Islamophobia would make it harder to tackle such attitudes because it could be used to silence legitimate concerns. The cross-party debate was hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Speech, led by Tory MP Richard Holden. He warned that introducing an official definition could create a 'two-tier' system that 'protects some people's views above some other people's views'. Labour commissioned the work to devise a 'non-statutory' definition of Islamophobia in what it says is a move to combat anti-Muslim abuse. But there are fears it could lead to a blasphemy law by the back door and stifle legitimate criticism of Islam. Critics suspect the move is politically motivated to hang on to the large Muslim vote Labour enjoys in swathes of the country. The party has set up a working group, whose chairman is former Tory Dominic Grieve, to devise the definition. Its call for evidence closes on Saturday.