Haverford College in Pennsylvania issued a statement after professor Guangtian Ha, a faculty member, was arrested earlier on October 6. Ha was charged with ‘online harassment and intimidation’.
“I am deeply distressed by these allegations and want to state in the plainest of terms that any form of harassment or discrimination based on identity is unacceptable, antithetical to our values, and has no place at Haverford,” President Wendy Raymond said in the statement.
What to know about Guangtian Ha's offense
The statement added that Ha was on sabbatical leave and not teaching this academic year. It also noted that he has been placed on administrative leave and remains barred from the campus amid the criminal case against him.
The college president described Ha's remarks as ‘heinous online attacks, which were antisemitic in nature’.
“I am heartbroken and furious at the possibility that an individual within our community would seek to inflict such pain on another. This disturbing news is made even more harmful for many given its proximity to both the Jewish High Holidays and the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks,” Raymond also added.
{{/usCountry}}“I am heartbroken and furious at the possibility that an individual within our community would seek to inflict such pain on another. This disturbing news is made even more harmful for many given its proximity to both the Jewish High Holidays and the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks,” Raymond also added.
{{/usCountry}}Political activist Eyal Yakoby, meanwhile, alleged that Ha ‘hid behind at least four anonymous X accounts, sending roughly 50 messages.’ The activist further added “He sent a photo of the victim’s home mailbox, along with, ‘If Jews are so special then they should be placed in special camps’.”
Earlier allegations against Guangtian Ha
A civil action against the college also detailed more allegations against Ha.
“Between August 15 and August 19, 2024, Professor Guangtian Ha, an associate professor of Religion, authored a series of incendiary and obscene posts attacking Plaintiffs and any other Jew committed to Israel,” it noted.
The suit alleged that Ha had advised 'the only way to deal with Zionists “is to stop talking to them and refuse to let them waste your time." In another post, he allegedly said “Anyone who says ‘what about Hamas’ can go f*** themself.”
Ha had also allegedly opined “By this point matter is no longer just ceasefire. The state of Israel must be dismantled and the society de-Nazified. Arms embargo, sanction, boycott, attack Zionism on all fronts. Zionism is Nazism, it is fascism. Zionists are racists.”
However, this lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice in 2026, with the judge nonetheless noting that antisemitism was a serious problem.