$77 million class-action claim brought against McMaster University, student union

McMaster university and its students union have been named as defendants in a multi-million lawsuit in connection with alleged antisemitic incidents.

The $77-million claim has been brought on behalf of Jewish students currently enrolled and those who graduated within the past two years.

In a release, law firm Diamond and Diamond, as well as a non-profit the Lawfare Project, say they initiated the class action suit insisting the students have suffered “psychological turmoil” due to faculty praising of the October 7 incident in the Middle East and exposure to “anti-Semitic rhetoric” at rallies on campus. The class-action has yet to be certified in court.

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“Behavior that encourages hatred, violence, discrimination or interferes with the educational atmosphere, as stated in the ‘Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities,’ reflects a breach in the University’s responsibility,” Diamond and Diamond managing partner Sandra Zisckind said in the statement. “Section 319 of the Criminal Code categorizes the public incitement of hatred, the deliberate promotion of hatred, and the intentional promotion of antisemitism as criminal offences.”

A spokesperson for McMaster says their executive is aware of the release announcing the claim, but have yet to receive it.

“While we cannot comment on the specifics of a legal action outside the court process, McMaster is steadfast in its commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment where our community members feel a sense of belonging,” university spokesperson Wade Hemsworth said in an email.

The plaintiffs’s claim points to a pair of alleged incidents they say “exacerbated existing antisemitic sentiments” on campus, including a vigil that had to be relocated after Oct. 7 due to safety concerns.

In October, Diamond and Diamond also named York University and the York Federation of Students as defendants in a similar class-action lawsuit on behalf of “current students, recent alumni, and attendees from 1998-2021.”