Academical Antisemitic Scandal
"Kill Them All, As They Say": Hate Speech Firestorm Engulfs Concordia Professor
Controversy erupts at Concordia University over math professor's alleged inflammatory social media post targeting "Zionist colleagues," sparking debate on hate speech and academic conduct.
A major controversy has erupted at Concordia University after a professor was widely accused on social media of posting a highly inflammatory antisemitic comment referencing the killing of her "hardcore Zionist colleagues" at a neighboring institution.
The university's reputation has been thrown into question after the comment, attributed to Dr. Chantal David, a full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, went viral across X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, prompting immediate debate over hate speech and academic accountability.
"Kill Them All, As They Say"
The core of the allegation centers on a comment allegedly posted by Professor David on an Instagram thread belonging to the advocacy group Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). The thread discussed a recent BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) motion at McGill University.
The controversial quote attributed to Dr. David reads: "My hardcore Zionist colleagues (kill them all, as they say) from the math department at McGill..."
Screenshots and short video captures of the post quickly spread, fueled by prominent social media commentators. While Concordia University's public directory confirms Chantal David as a faculty member, a respected mathematician and recipient of the 2013 Krieger–Nelson Prize, the university has not publicly verified the authenticity of the post itself yet.
Legal and Ethical Fallout
The nature of the language used has drawn immediate attention to Canadian law regarding hate speech. The Criminal Code defines two relevant offenses:
Legal experts suggest the key determination in any potential case would be whether the phrase "hardcore Zionist colleagues" is interpreted as synonymous with, or a clear incitement against, an "identifiable group" such as Israelis or Jews, and whether the comment meets the stringent legal standard of "wilful promotion" or "incitement."
The incident represents a serious test for Concordia University, which has a fraught history of campus tension related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The administration now faces intense pressure from students, alumni, and advocacy groups to launch an internal investigation to verify the post and determine if Dr. David's alleged comments violate the university's code of conduct regarding harassment, discrimination, and academic ethics.
As of press time, neither Professor David nor Concordia University had issued a detailed public statement specifically addressing the alleged comment.