(José Niño, Headline USA) Eden Deckerhoff, a 23-year-old graduate student at FSU, faces battery charges and campus suspension after a confrontation with a Jewish student wearing an IDF shirt triggered a viral outcry.
Last Wednesday, who was pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Social Work and is the daughter of an FSU teaching professor, approached a fellow student at the campus gym who was wearing a shirt emblazoned with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) insignia. According to witness statements and arrest reports, Deckerhoff confronted the student verbally, allegedly shouting expletives about Israel and referencing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She called the student an “ignorant… son of a b****” and accusing him of being part of a “mass genocide.”
The situation quickly escalated. The confrontation culminated when Deckerhoff reportedly struck the victim’s shoulder and made an attempt to pour his smoothie over his head. The encounter was quickly documented and shared on social media platforms.
Florida State University – female student attacks a Jewish peer at the gym wearing an IDF shirt, screaming "F*ck Israel, Free Palestine" and physically shoves him.
This assault warrants immediate expulsion @PresMcCullough pic.twitter.com/OraCcAihSb
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) July 31, 2025
Authorities responded promptly. The alleged victim, describing the incident to police, asserted that Deckerhoff had “definitely hate crimed me” and recounted her fraught remarks regarding Israel and Palestine.
However, State Attorney Jack Campbell, after consulting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, chose not to pursue hate crime enhancements, opting instead for a misdemeanor battery charge. Campbell cited the facts of the case and the minor physical injury involved as factors in the charging decision. As a condition of her pre-trial release, Deckerhoff has been barred from returning to FSU’s campus, and her arraignment is scheduled for September 18, 2025.
The incident attracted the attention of federal authorities, as the victim’s Jewish identity and the charged rhetoric coincided with a period of increased federal vigilance against antisemitism following directives from the highest levels of government.
High-ranking officials were quick to denounce the incident. US Attorney General Pam Bondi lauded FSU President Richard McCullough’s “leadership and prompt action” and affirmed, “Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Florida, or anywhere else.” Bondi said the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and a US Attorney are “looking into the matter.”
As the legal and disciplinary processes unfolded, the episode became fodder for heated debates on social media and within the broader public sphere. Some online advocates speculated whether Deckerhoff had a GoFundMe or formal legal defense fund. Despite expressions of support and the creation of hashtags such as #JusticeForEden, no verified fundraising efforts have been found.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
