A man identified as Tobias Paperno was arrested and charged with trespassing at an anti-Israel rally at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

After his actions were highlighted on social media. Paperno faced severe backlash for organizing the rally.

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Who is Tobias Paperno?

Tobias Paperno is a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He reportedly co-founded a group named UMass Dissenters. The group co-organized the BDS event where 57 protesters were arrested by campus police.

He faced criticism for his actions and anti-Israel stance. Several X users slammed him on social media and demanded his termination from the University. 

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One user wrote, “@UMassAmherst is an absolute disgrace. There has been antisemitic violent people allowed to remain and fester for the better part of at least 30 years. Ask me how I know. Graduate students who never complete their degrees even after 7+ years who victimize undergrads, and so on.”

“UMass is stepping up and putting a foot down on these often violent protests on campus.  Kudos to UMass for protecting the right of all students to be safe on their campuses.” another user wrote.

One X user wrote, “Where does TOBIAS PAPERNO, plan to work…who wants to hire a trouble maker that takes the law into his own hands. Good luck to him…but I wouldn’t hire him to walk a dog.”

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Anti-Semitic incidents and acts of hostility towards Jews have increased significantly in the United States and around the world following the October 7 tragedy and the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. 

The spokeswoman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Lior Haiat, stated in a written statement that “the official number of victims of the October 7 massacre is approximately 1,200.” Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States increased by about 400% in the first two weeks after the Middle East crisis, which was sparked by a Hamas attack on Israel, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).