Pig head mounted on UBC fence an act of antisemitism, Jewish group says

Police are investigating after a pig’s head was mounted to a gate at the University of British Columbia’s Point Grey campus this week.

The severed head was discovered on Tuesday, in front of what appears to be UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon’s home.

It was accompanied by a sign reading “pigs off campus.”

0:30 Pro-Palestinian encampment occupying UBC has been dismantled

A pro-Palestinian student group appeared to claim responsibility in a social media post. The group said the act was a protest against police violence against Black, Indigenous and people of colour and other marginalized communities and a call for “cops off campus.”

“Let it be clear, as we begin this new academic year we remain steadfast in our commitment to hold UBC accountable for its ongoing genocide,” the group People’s University UBC said in an Instagram post.

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“UBC will not know peace until we get Palestine back, piece by piece.”

Jewish advocates called the incident a blatant act of antisemitism.

“A pig’s head, references to pigs and swine are often used in antisemitic tropes, and to have this done during the return to school has left students who are already on edge about returning to campus … feeling even further ostracized,” B’nai Brith spokesperson Richard Robertson said.

“I think it would be foolish to suggest this wasn’t intended to intimidate both the police on campus as well as Zionists and supporters of the Jewish state of Israel.”

2:05 ‘Normalization of hate’: B’nai Brith Canada reports dramatic rise in antisemitism

Robertson said Canadian university campuses, including UBC, have seen a surge in antisemitism over the last year.

He said many students are already anxious about heading back to school and called the pig’s head an “ominous indicator.”

“This sends a message that the inciting events of the previous school year and those who were responsible for those events intend to continue that status quo,” he said.

Global News reached out to UBC’s president for comment. The university sent a statement saying hate and discrimination will not be tolerated on its campuses, but that it could not comment further on the incident.

In April, the same student group apparently behind the pig’s head set up a large pro-Palestinian encampment on a sports field at UBC’s Point Grey campus.

Protesters were demanding the school cut financial and academic ties with Israeli groups.

The encampment was in place for more than two months when organizers voluntarily dismantled it.