بندقية هوائية تُطيح بأستاذ هارفارد

The U.S. immigration authorities arrested a visiting Brazilian law professor at Harvard Law School after he was convicted of firing an air rifle outside a Jewish synagogue in Massachusetts on the eve of Yom Kippur.

Arrest and Visa Cancellation

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday (Thursday) that Carlos Portugal Gouvia, an associate professor at the University of São Paulo Law School, was arrested on Wednesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the State Department canceled his temporary non-immigrant visa.

Formal Charges of Anti-Semitism

The administration of President Donald Trump described the incident as “an anti-Semitic shooting,” a characterization that contrasts with the findings of local police investigations and the synagogue's own position.

Voluntary Departure

Gouvia had taught at Harvard during the fall semester and later agreed to leave the United States voluntarily, according to an official statement from the department.

Renewed Pressure on Harvard

The timing of the arrest comes amid the Trump administration's escalating pressure on Harvard University, following accusations of insufficient efforts to combat anti-Semitism on campus. The university had won a lawsuit last September that overturned an administrative decision to halt research grants exceeding two billion dollars.

Details of the Incident

On October 1, the Brookline Police arrested Gouvia after a report of a person carrying a weapon near the “Beth Zion” synagogue on the eve of Yom Kippur. The accused told the police that he was using an air rifle to hunt rats in the area.

Plea and Reduced Charges

Last month, Gouvia pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawfully discharging a weapon and was sentenced to six months of pre-trial probation, while other charges including disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, and vandalism were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Denial of Anti-Jewish Motive

The “Beth Zion” synagogue confirmed, citing the police, that the incident “does not appear to have anti-Semitic motives,” and that Gouvia was unaware that he was near a synagogue or that the day coincided with a Jewish religious occasion, a point that was officially supported by the Brookline Police after the investigations concluded.

Tense Political Background

The case has been politically revived amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard University regarding issues of anti-Semitism and academic freedoms.