What did Dr. Mika Tosca say? Chicago art professor issues apology after mass backlash over post about Israelis

School of the Art Institute of Chicago professor and climate scientist Dr. Mika Tosca posted an apology after facing immense backlash over her controversial social media post amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. On October 17, Tosca took to her Instagram story and made some eyebrow-raising remarks against Israelis, calling them "pigs" and "savages." In the controversial post, she wrote:

"Israelis are pigs. Savages. Very bad people. Irredeemable excrement."

Further, she dubbed Israel’s conflict with Hamas a “propaganda” that is “downright evil.” Tosca also said:

Screenshot of Mika Tosca's controversial Instagram story slamming Israelis.

"After the past week, if your eyes aren't open to the crimes against humanity that Israel is committing and has committed for decades, and will continue to commit, then I suggest you open them. It's disgusting and grotesque. May they all rot in hell."

Israel began bombing the Gaza strip, which is governed by Hamas, every day after the incident in an effort to destroy the organization. Since the violence started, 2,750 Palestinians have died and 9,700 have been injured, according to the health ministry.

Mika Tosca's comments attracted severe backlash from netizens, as well as from nonprofit organizations like StopAntisemitism. While speaking to the New York Post, Liora Rez, the organization's Executive Director said:

“As reports of antisemitism continue to pour in, we demand administrators hold Dr. Mika Tosca fully accountable for her vile bigotry. She must be investigated for her horrible sentiments. Jewish students deserve to feel safe on campus and people like her make that impossible when they’re unapologetically antisemitic.”

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Dr. Mika Tosca apologized for perpetuating "harmful stereotypes" via her controversial Instagram story

On October 18, Dr. Mika Tosca took to her Instagram handle and posted a lengthy statement apologizing for her controversial story against Israelis. She began her statement by apologizing for her remarks which she "unequivocally reject and do not stand behind."

"I am deeply sorry for writing what I wrote, and for hurting many people with my words, and I am especially sorry to Israeli people that I broadly placed at fault for the war. You did not - and do not - deserve that, and I was wrong to post what I posted: I know that my words perpetuated harmful stereotypes."

After claiming that her "reaction to the violence in Israel and Palestine" had taken on an "inappropriate and offensive form," Dr. Mika assured people that she was "taking proactive steps to learn how I can do better and be better."

"I own my mistake and promise to be better. I hope you can forgive me."

Anger has spread throughout colleges and universities around the nation in the wake of the October 7 incident.

Seth Crosby, a lecturer at Washington University, said he lost his job after endorsing Israel's attacks on Gaza as "a much-needed cleansing, yes, but not an ethnic one." He added that Israel does not want to harm anyone.

Muslim advocacy organizations slammed Crosby for dehumanizing Palestinians in general, noting that women and children are among those who have died since the Israel-Hamas conflict started.