A former Conell University student pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday (Wednesday) to threatening Jewish students on campus.
Patrick Dai, 21, was a junior at the university when he was arrested on October 31 for posting anonymous threats to shoot and stab Jews in the kosher dining hall on a Greek life forum following the Hamas massacre of October 7.
Dai was recently diagnosed with autism. His lawyer, Lisa Peebles, said that he meant no harm with his posts and was attempting to draw attention to the crimes committed by the Hamas terrorist organization.
“He did it knowingly, but his motivation was really not meant to scare Jewish people,” Peebles told the New York Post. “It was more try to to do the opposite of that which was to garner sympathy for them and make people think twice about supporting Hamas.”
Dai faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, along with a fine of up to $250,000 and compensation to the victims.
The menacing messages, posted on a forum about fraternities and sororities, alarmed students at Cornell and led to students being advised to stay away from the school’s kosher dining hall.
Following Dai's arrest, Cornell canceled classes for a day.
Cornell is one of several universities currently being investigated by the federal government for charges of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus.
In another antisemitic incident, Cornell University history professor Russel Rickford told students at a rally that the massacre of October 7, where 1,200 people were murdered and about 250 taken hostage, was “exhilarating” and “energizing.”