The FBI and Haverford Township Police arrested a Haverford College professor Tuesday, Oct. 6, on charges of antisemitic online harassment and intimidation.
Haverford College President Wendy Raymond announced the arrest of Professor Guangtian Ha in a message to the college community. Raymond said the alleged online attacks were antisemitic in nature and called them heinous.
Ha, who was on sabbatical leave and not teaching during the 2026–2027 academic year, has been placed on administrative leave and barred from campus while the criminal case proceeds, Raymond said.
The specific charges and charging jurisdiction have not been publicly released by law enforcement. Both the FBI and Haverford Township Police Department aided in the investigation, along with Haverford College Campus Safety, according to Raymond's statement.
No law enforcement statement about the arrest has been made public.
Raymond said a college representative has been in contact with the individuals targeted by the alleged attacks. She described the news as made even more harmful for many given its proximity to both the Jewish High Holidays and the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
The arrest came the same day Raymond announced the cancellation of a student-organized event called Art Campaign in Solidarity with Palestine that had been scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 7. The event, sponsored by Haverford's chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, was canceled over safety concerns and the significance of the anniversary date, according to a separate message from Raymond.
The criminal case is separate from the college's response to a lawsuit settlement reached in August 2026. That settlement, in the case Jews at Haverford v. The Corporation of Haverford College, required the college to provide annual antisemitism training for students, faculty and student-facing staff. The training must be completed by Oct. 23, as reported by The Bi-College News.
No attorney for Ha has been publicly identified. No arraignment or preliminary hearing date has been announced.
Haverford College's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) scheduled drop-in sessions on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and on Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Campus Safety is available around the clock at 610-896-1111.
