Alleged Anti-Semitic Attack in Canada

(Hat tip to Orange County Independent Task Force on Anti-Semitism)

The below story is being reported in the Calgary Herald and concerns an alleged attack early Monday morning on two Jewish students from Carleton University in the town of Gatineau (QU), Canada.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Students+machete+wielding+attacked+them/2767425/story.html

Here is the text of the article:

"A student supporter of Israel at Ottawa's Carleton University and his Israeli engineering student roommate say they were attacked by a group of people, including one person swinging a machete, near a Gatineau, Que., bar early Monday.

Nick Bergamini, 22, said he and Mark Klibanov, 20, were leaving a downtown Gatineau bar at about 1:45 a.m. when a group of approximately 10 men began yelling in English and Arabic that they were Zionists and Jews.

The two men walked across the Chaudiere Bridge to Ottawa and the crowd surrounding them dispersed about five minutes later.

Klibanov, 20, said the machete missed the back of his friend's head by about a foot.

Police on Monday did not immediately provide details on the alleged attack."
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The following is a copy of a Facebook statement by Nick Bergamini, a member of the Carleton University Student’s Association.



"Tonight I went out to the bars downtown. It was a great night with my roommate Mark Klibanov. Around 1:45am, as we were leaving the bar, and we heard the shout of “Zionist” in Arabic. As it stands now, we weren’t sure if the shouts were directed at myself, a known a supporer of Israel, or Mark, an actual Israeli.

Quickly, we both responded that yes we were Zionists. All of a sudden we were surrounded by 10-15 men who began to shout at us in Arabic. We tried to back out and run away. All of a sudden, I was struck in the back of the head. I’m not sure if it was a fist, a rock or a pipe but it left me dazed and bleeding.

We quickly ran back to the bar and stood beside the bouncers. The crowd of anti-Israel thugs dispersed.

About 10 minutes later, assuming that it was safe, we began to walk home. We were walking through a parking lot when a car pulled up next to us. The driver shouted “I fucking hit you, you Jew.”

We stood our ground. Quickly we had three guys around us. We were able to push them away. As the cowards that they were, they retreated. Then I heard, shouts of “Open the trunk!” One of them opened the trunk and I saw glistening in the street light the reflection of a 12-inch machete. “Fucking Jew,” he shouted. I began to run for my life as he was only 5 or 6 feet away.

I ran, and as I looked back, I saw the long shiny blade slicing through the air about 12 inches from my neck. I ran as fast I could and, thanks to my grade 9 track and field training, got away.

People who were around the scene said the blade came within inches of my neck.

Now, the debate on campuses has reached the next level. In this country, people are no longer safe if they support Israel. But you know what? I will never take back my beliefs. I support Israel 100 per cent.

But I will say this. Some of the guys who tried to kill us are Carleton students and I recognize who they are. What is this country coming to?"
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I will try to keep up with this story.