A class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Jewish students at McMaster University in Hamilton, alleging that the post-secondary institution subjected them to systemic discrimination and anti-Semitism.

The application was submitted on Wednesday in the Ontario Superior Court by the law firm Diamond and Diamond Lawyers on behalf of all Jewish students currently enrolled at McMaster University or who have graduated within the past two years.

The allegations have not yet been presented to the court. The class actions must be certified by a judge before they can proceed.

The proposed class action seeks $77 million in compensation from McMaster University and its student union.

The petition stated that Jewish students have been and continue to be increasingly subjected to a socially and educationally hostile and relentlessly anti-Semitic environment. They have to walk through classrooms and campus grounds filled with anti-Semitic words, acts, and images.

The lawsuit alleges that the university is well aware of this historic problem that prevents Jewish students from participating in educational and social experiences on campus, but it has turned a blind eye.

McMaster defends itself

McMaster University said in a statement that it has not yet received the class action application and cannot comment on the specific allegations outside of legal proceedings.

It said that fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the McMaster community has always been and will remain a top priority for the university, which condemns all forms of hate.

The union president, Jovan Popovic, also said the student union has not received the complaint and did not make further comments.

The situation is "worse"

The petition stated that anti-Semitism has clearly worsened since the beginning of the war between Hamas and Israel.

The document confirmed that during marches on campus, students praised Hamas’s actions and called for more violence against the Jewish community.

Jewish students were also subjected to chants and calls for the death of Jews and the expulsion of Israelis, according to the petition. They fear that wearing religious symbols will provoke acts of aggression from others on campus.