Harvard's interim prez condemns antisemitic toon on univ groups

Harvard University's interim president, Alan Garber, condemned an antisemitic cartoon that circulated on social media over the weekend, taking a swift stance after the school was criticised for not doing enough to protect Jewish students.

The cartoon depicted what appeared to be an Arab man and a Black man with nooses around their necks, held by a hand emblazoned with a Star of David, Garber said Tuesday. It was posted online by groups purporting to speak on behalf of Harvard affiliates.

The university will review the situation to better understand who was responsible for posting the cartoon and to determine what further steps are warranted, he said. "Perpetuating vile and hateful antisemitic tropes, or otherwise engaging in inflammatory rhetoric or sharing images that demean people on the basis of their identity, is precisely the opposite of what this moment demands of us," Garber said.

Harvard has been under scrutiny since Hamas's attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent attack on Gaza.