Volunteer for Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick attacked by anti-Israel protesters on the University of Pittsburgh campus

A campaign aide for U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick was attacked by an anti-Israel protester on the University of Pittsburgh campus on Sunday afternoon.

McCormick (R-Penn) shared a clip of the attack and confirmed that the volunteer attacked was a “Jewish student” at the university.

Student Reuben Rochkind can be seen standing in front of the masked attacker, holding up an American flag, as he is dragged against the fence by his backpack and then held by the neck.

Rochkind was able to free himself from his attacker’s grip before the clip ended.

“I was completely taken aback,” Rochkind told the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle. “I definitely didn’t expect something like this to happen.”

On Sunday evening, anti-Israel protesters set up camp on the grounds of Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning before being asked to disperse two days later.

The Pitt student said he went to the camp with friends to talk to the protesters, but their leaders wouldn’t let them talk.

“I believe America has a lot of good values, like freedom of speech and freedom to protest,” he said. “The protesters are out there and they are, in my opinion, anti-Western and anti-American.”

McCormick condemned the attack on X and his Democratic opponent, Senator Bob Casey.

“One of my amazing volunteers was attacked by Hamas supporters on Pitt’s campus,” McCormick wrote on X along with the video. “He is a Jewish student who was wearing a McCormick hat and proudly waving the American flag.”

The Republican candidate, who is running for a seat in his home state of Pennsylvania, called the incident a “repulsive” sight of “anti-Semitism.”

“Bob Casey must stand up and defend his Jewish voters,” he said.