Cutout of Netanyahu hanged from McGill University's Roddick Gates

WARNING: This story contains imagery some may find disturbing

A hanging image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was allegedly on display for "several hours" outside McGill University on Sunday.

"It's profoundly disturbing, as the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, that we permit simulated lynching of Jews in Holocaust garb to exist on the street, that people are able to threaten the Jewish community," said Jamie Fabian.

The 24-year-old law student says he was at an event nearby when he received a text message about the image.

"We were informed that there was an effigy, a simulated lynching of a Jew wearing concentration camp attire," he tells CTV News. "We were disturbed, so we went to check it out."

The image shows a cutout of Netanyahu dressed in a horizontal black and white prison-like garb, holding a piece of paper and being hanged from the Roddick Gates at McGill University's downtown campus.

An effigy of Benjamin Netanyahu was hanged from McGill's Roddick gates (image provided to CTV News)

A McGill student who took the photo says she also saw the image while walking through campus.

She does not want to be identified to protect her safety, because she is Muslim.

"Upon getting closer, I noticed the shape of a body hanging from the top of the gate," she tells CTV News. "Upon closer examination, I saw that it was Netanyahu.

She says she understands why Jewish students no longer feel safe on campus.

"What are they trying to accomplish? What is this going to do?" she said. "Hate has no place at McGill."

A member of the McGill encampment who did not want to be named told CTV News that he is aware of the effigy but it was from a separate demonstration outside the school.

Officials at McGill tell CTV News that it is investigating the incident, and has filed a report with Montreal police.

"McGill is aware of the incident. This violent imagery goes beyond peaceful protest and stands in sharp contrast to the university’s principles and its ongoing efforts to foster respectful dialogue and speech," the school states.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) also commented on the image, taking to social media X to say, "When are we going to stop burying our heads in the sand because we don't want 'waves' while the threat to Quebec Jews and our society is getting worse?"
 

Montreal police (SPVM) told CTV News early in the day Monday that it does not have an official report of an incident near the university.