Online anti-Semitism and the prosecution of hate crimes, including the October mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue and the 2015 slayings at a historic African-American church in Charleston, S.C., will be among topics of a March symposium at Saint Vincent College in Unity.
Robin Valeri, professor of psychology at St. Bonaventure (N.Y.) University, will discuss cyber hate, with a focus on online anti-Semitism, such as those attributed to Robert Bowers, who is accused of killing 11 Jewish worshipers Oct. 27 at Tree of Life in Squirrel Hill.
Valeri is a published author on the issue of hate crimes and domestic terrorism.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Williams, who successfully prosecuted Dylann Roof for killing nine parishioners attending a Bible study group in June 2015 at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, also will speak during “The Face of Hate: The Investigation and Prosecution of Hate Crimes,” beginning at 6:15 p.m. March 12 in the Fred M. Rogers Center.
The college’s criminology department is hosting the free event. Those interested in attending should contact Sandra Frye in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, at sandra.frye@stvincent.edu or 724-805-2670.
Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.
