Yonkers Public Schools in New York took swift action after an ugly incident of antisemitism occurred during a high school girls' basketball game. The game, which took place between The Leffell School, a private Jewish school, and Roosevelt High School, a public school in Yonkers, ended prematurely due to the hostile environment created by some students from Roosevelt. The incident involved the use of antisemitic slurs, with one student allegedly saying, "I support Hamas, you f-king Jew." Security guards had to escort the Leffell School players off the court for their safety.

Yonkers Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Luis Rodriquez and Mayor Mike Spano issued a joint statement on Sunday denouncing the hatred and apologizing for the vitriol faced by the visiting team. The statement emphasized that hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated in the school district and the city. The Leffell School players, in an op-ed for their student-run newspaper, The Lion's Roar, described the game as an experience filled with hatred and antisemitic remarks. They mentioned that the Roosevelt players played rough and continuously shouted “Free Palestine” and other anti-Jewish statements throughout the contest.

An hour into the game, the Leffell players decided to walk off the court during a timeout, while the coaches and referees discussed the situation. The Roosevelt players continued to engage in verbal altercations with the Leffell players until security intervened and the referees ultimately ended the game. Roosevelt High School agreed to a voluntary forfeit. The next day, Roosevelt's athletic director and principal issued apologies to Michael Kay, Leffell's head of school.

Following an investigation into the incident, Yonkers Public Schools dismissed the coach and one player from the Roosevelt basketball team. The district has not identified the coach or player involved. In addition to the dismissals, the district will provide further counseling and guided training sessions to the school community to prevent such incidents in the future.

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner called for the state Board of Regents to investigate the incident, emphasizing that no one should be subjected to abuse and hate based on their religion. The incident has gained attention beyond Yonkers, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul sharing a news story about it and expressing her disapproval of antisemitism.

Efforts are now underway to restore the relationship between Yonkers Public Schools and The Leffell School. Both schools will soon meet to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and further disciplinary action may be taken against other individuals involved.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of combating hate speech and fostering a safe and inclusive environment within schools. Yonkers Public Schools and the city of Yonkers are committed to ensuring that such incidents are not repeated, and they are taking proactive steps to address the issue.