Western University is defending its investigation into a private pro-Palestinian group chat that reportedly included antisemitic messages shared by students and local activists. A report in early September detailed that members of this WhatsApp group exchanged antisemitic cartoons and Hitler memes in the weeks following the October 7 attacks.

Jewish students submitted an anonymous complaint to the university, but the investigation faced challenges when the university requested that they identify themselves. On Wednesday, the university stated that the lack of clarity in the complaint hindered a thorough investigation. "We must reiterate that the university reviews all complaints of hate-based misconduct," said spokesman Stephen Ledgley. He noted that the university reviewed the complaint and materials submitted anonymously through a lawyer but found insufficient evidence to proceed with a full investigation.

Concerns have been raised by alumni and parents within the Western community following the report. Dean Lavi, executive director of Jewish London, part of the United Jewish Federation, expressed alarm over the messages in the group chat, which he described as a troubling escalation of antisemitic rhetoric. "There’s no hiding anymore. It’s, ‘We need to take action against the Yahoodis (Jews) in our town, in our community, in our universities,’" he quoted from the messages.

Ledgley explained that the university could not verify the authors of the posts due to the nature of the evidence, which consisted of unverified and easily editable text files. He emphasized that a named witness was necessary to provide context about the origins of the files and whether they had been altered. He added that the chat participants often used screen names, making it difficult to connect them to Western students without further evidence.

The university did not confirm whether it cross-checked the phone numbers and names visible in the chat with its database. Ledgley reiterated that Western is open to receiving more information but noted that the anonymity surrounding the issue complicates the investigation. He mentioned that the lawyer representing the complaint, Jonathan Rosenthal, did not provide any names of students allegedly involved in the misconduct.

Emily Bruce, a spokeswoman in the university president’s office, communicated to concerned alumni that the article did not accurately reflect the university's actions regarding the allegations. She stated that Western takes student safety and conduct seriously and that the investigation into this case was no different.

Jay Solomon, chief advancement officer with Hillel Ontario, a Jewish cultural group on campus, called for decisive action from the university. "The messages in this chat group are vile and deeply disturbing," he said. Solomon urged the university to act swiftly and condemn the hate expressed in the chat.

In a public letter, Western Hillel requested that both the university and the London Police Service conduct immediate investigations into the matter. Ana Steiner, a Western alum, expressed disappointment with the university's response, stating that her previous concerns had been met with a generic reply about free speech.

Steiner criticized the university for its lack of engagement and action, saying, "Lack of response, lack of action, lack of demonstrating that their student safety is truly a concern."

Howard Ramos, a sociology professor at Western, suggested that the university was using privacy concerns as a shield. He noted that he had not received any communication from the university regarding the situation, which he found troubling, especially for Jewish and Israeli students during the High Holidays. Ramos emphasized the importance of the university being clear about student conduct expectations.