Following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Elom Tettey‑Tamaklo was filmed confronting a first-year Israeli business-school student, Yoav Segev, while the latter tried to film the protest on campus.
Prosecutors charged Tettey-Tamaklo with misdemeanour assault and battery and after Tettey-Tamaklo completed a court-ordered diversion program — including anger management classes and community service, the charges were dismissed in November 2024.
The university had previously removed him from a proctor role shortly after the protest, citing “student discomfort,” but he remained in good academic standing, but as of August 2025, Harvard University reportedly hired Tettey-Tamaklo as a Graduate Teaching Fellow.
In this role, he advises faculty on curriculum design and consults on complex academic material, reportedly earning a stipend between about US $3,400 and $11,040 depending on assignment.
Tettey-Tamaklo’s hiring has drawn strong criticism from political figures and alumni who argue the university is failing to address alleged antisemitism on campus.
Meanwhile, the assaulted student, Segev, filed a lawsuit in July 2025 accusing Harvard of “misleading tactics, obfuscation, and misrepresentations” that effectively blocked him from obtaining full remedies.
The incident is part of a wider wave of protests, tensions, and alleged antisemitic incidents at U.S. universities following the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.
Critics argue that by rehiring a student previously charged with assaulting a Jewish student — even if charges were dismissed — Harvard is sending the wrong message about accountability and campus safety for Jewish students. Others argue that, legally, the matter was resolved, and the individual deserves a chance at rehabilitation.
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