Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) sent a letter to Cornell University President Martha Pollack demanding Professor Russell Rickford immediately resign for his anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas comments.
In the wake of the terrorist invasion of Israel that has killed over 1,300 Israelis so far, Mr. Rickford referred to the slaughter of Israeli civilians by Hamas as “energizing” and "exhilarating," while speaking at a pro-Palestine protest on Cornell's campus. Tenney’s letter detailed the severity of this rhetoric and called for Professor Rickford to either immediately resign from his position as an educator at Cornell or be fired.
In the letter, Tenney wrote, “Anti-Semitism should not be tolerated in academia or any other part of a civilized society. Professor Rickford holds a position within the university that allows him to mold and influence young minds. This position demands a higher standard of behavior, one that is free from anti-Semitic rhetoric and the vocal support of terrorism. By perpetuating these abhorrent views, Professor Rickford has not only violated his ethical responsibility as an educator but has also jeopardized the safety of the Jewish community and tarnished Cornell University's reputation. I sincerely hope that, as the President of Cornell, you will take this matter seriously and understand the severity of these faculty statements."
The Jerome Medical Center at Bank Street and Washington Avenue in the City of Batavia has been evacuated after an anonymous bomb threat was received there about 3:30 p.m.
The facility provides urgent care, mammography, laboratory and pathology services.
Law enforcement communications on the scanner have been encrypted -- scrambled.
The threat is under investigation.
UPDATE 4:29 p.m.: Bank Street between East Main Street and Washington Avenue is closed. The housing complex for seniors -- Jerome Senior Apartments -- has not been evacuated, but staff has been informed of the situation.
UPDATE 4:46 p.m.: Additional streets have been cordoned off, establishing a perimeter for the preliminary investigation, said Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence. The other junctures closed off are: Alva Place and State Street; East Main and Summit streets; and Washington Avenue and Summit Street. Lawrence said the residents of Jerome Senior Apartments are to be evacuated; calls have been made to those in charge of the residential facility.
UPDATE 5:01 p.m.: Department of Public Works barricades have been put in place at several locations where officers had been posted to close streets off from traffic. The county's Emergency Response Team is at the command post in the parking lot at Alva Place and Bank Street (the site of the summer Downtown Public Market). Two State Police K-9 units are on scene; so are city fire crews.
UPDATE 5:28 p.m.: Officer Lawrence says the residents at Jerome Senior Apartments were told an hour ago to shelter in place. Reverse 9-1-1 calls were placed to people on Washington Avenue, Bank Street and Summit Street.
UPDATE 5:49 p.m.: Two State Police K-9 units went through the medical facility and exited the building a few minutes ago.
UPDATE (By Howard): Photos added. Officer Marc Lawrence said the scene was cleared by the K-9s. Nothing suspicious was found and the urgent care would reopen.
