Emphasizing the need for all communities to unite against hate and bigotry, the United Jewish Federation of Utah on Sunday issued a statement condemning the “derogatory chants” directed at members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after Saturday night’s BYU-Arizona basketball game in Tucson, Arizona.
As the Deseret News reported late Saturday night after receiving an email from Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois, the chants emanated from Arizona’s student section, the ZonaZoo, as BYU basketball players, coaches and staff were exiting the court after a controversy-filled 96-95 win over the Wildcats.
Reed-Francois apologized to BYU “on behalf of the University of Arizona Athletic Department” for the “unacceptable chant” that occurred after the Cougars’ first visit to the McKale Center since 2009.
Latter-day Saints are colloquially known as Mormons. The chant was “(expletive) the Mormons,” and was loud enough that it could be heard throughout the 15,000-seat arena.
Other fans yelled homophobic slurs and hurled other insults as BYU players left the court and headed to their locker room.
“The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened,” wrote Reed-Francois, who became the University of Arizona’s athletic director last year, signing a five-year contract.
Utah’s Jewish community and BYU — which is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — have strengthened their relationship recently because the starting quarterback on BYU’s football team, rising senior Jake Retzlaff, is Jewish.
Retzlaff has spoken out against anti-Latter-day Saint chants, which he says he has heard several times since joining the program in the spring of 2023.
Here’s the statement from the United Jewish Federation of Utah, which describes itself on its website as part of “a network of Jewish nonprofit organizations across North America that worked to provide programming and support for the local and global Jewish communities” and strives to “protect and enhance” the well-being of Jews worldwide:
“The United Jewish Federation of Utah expresses deep concern and disappointment over the derogatory chants directed at Brigham Young University (BYU) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the recent basketball game against the University of Arizona.
“Such incidents are unacceptable and have no place in our society. They not only harm the targeted community but also undermine the principles of respect and unity that bind us together.
“In times like these, it is imperative for all communities to stand together against hate and bigotry. The Jewish community, having faced its own history of prejudice, understands the profound impact of such actions. We extend our solidarity to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU, reaffirming our commitment to fostering an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.
“The United Jewish Federation of Utah calls upon educational institutions, athletic organizations, and community leaders to actively promote inclusivity and to educate against all forms of discrimination. Together, we can build a society that celebrates diversity and stands united against intolerance.”