Last year, a 22-year-old Chinese-American student surnamed Dai from Cornell University, who threatened to attack a Jewish cafeteria and “cut their throats” at the end of last year, was sentenced to 21 months in prison by a judge on August 12. According to the Northern District of New York Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the Chinese student named Patrick Dai was originally a junior at Cornell University from Pittsford, New York, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison for using interstate communication networks to disseminate threats to kill or harm others.
In accordance with Dai’s previous plea agreement, on October 28-29, 2023, he posted threatening messages on an online forum at Cornell University, including “shooting at West 104” (which is the Jewish cafeteria located on the Cornell University campus next to the Cornell Jewish Center providing housing for Jewish students), “bombing Jewish houses,” and other inflammatory remarks.
In another post, Dai threatened to “stab” and “cut” the “throats” of any Jewish men he saw on campus; rape any Jewish women he saw and throw them off cliffs, and behead all Jewish babies.
In the same post, Dai further threatened to “bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all the Jewish pigs.”
In addition to nearly two years of prison time, Dai was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, prohibited from contacting Cornell University, required to undergo mental health therapy, and had his use of electronic devices and the internet restricted and monitored.
“Every student has the right to an education without fear of violence based on their identity, appearance, where they come from, or their beliefs,” said Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. “Antisemitic threats of violence, like the vile and explicit threats made by the defendant here, violate that right. Today’s sentencing reaffirms that we will hold accountable those who threaten and intimidate others based on religious beliefs or backgrounds. The Department of Justice will continue to protect all Americans from bias-motivated crimes, wherever they occur, including on college campuses.”
Federal prosecutor Carla B. Freedman stated that “prior to sentencing, the court found that according to federal sentencing guidelines, this was a hate crime as the malevolent threats made by Dai targeted Jewish students and severely disrupted the core functions of educating students at the university. The defendant’s threats caused several days of panic within the Cornell University campus community and undermined the sense of security within the community. My office will continue to actively investigate and prosecute threats and acts of violence fueled by antisemitism and any form of hatred.”
Cornell University Police Chief Anthony G. Bellamy thanked the federal prosecutor’s office and the police department, as well as the FBI, for working together to protect the campus. He stated, “This verdict makes it clear that we will not tolerate threats against our community.”
The defendant’s lawyer has requested an appeal, citing the individual’s “autism.” However, federal authorities have stated that the defendant’s mental health is not a license to break the law.
“Many people go through periods of feeling isolated and depressed and face mental health challenges,” the prosecutor said. “But these trials and tribulations do not grant anyone the right to intimidate neighbors and classmates.”
Cornell University has approximately 3,000 Jewish undergraduate students and 500 Jewish graduate students, comprising around 22% of the total student population.