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'Zoom Bombers' Target Israeli Chemist With Anti-Semitic Messages During Virtual Talk At UC Davis

DAVIS (CBS13) — Officials say an Israeli chemistry professor who was giving a remote presentation to a UC Davis class was the victim of an anti-semitic "Zoom-bombing" incident last week.

Chemist Sason Shaik - a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem - was doing a virtual talk with UC Davis and University of Houston students on Feb. 10 when outside parties somehow joined the call, officials say. The Zoom bombers then started broadcasting anti-semitic messages.

Exactly what was broadcasted has not been detailed, but UC Davis officials have denounced the incident as "vile, sickening and cowardly."

"If you are in a situation where you see or experience antisemitism or any level of disrespect, racism or bigotry, we ask you to be active not passive. Stand with your fellow colleague, student or peer to deescalate the incident," UC Davis officials said in a statement.

It's unclear how the outside parties were able to get into the call.

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