Jewish community in Utah condemns ‘derogatory chants’ directed at Latter-day Saints and BYU after Arizona game

February 25, 2025

The Jewish Federation of Utah has released a statement condemning “derogatory chants” directed at members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints following a college basketball game in Arizona Saturday night.

The Deseret News reports that chants of “(expletive) the Mormons” erupted from the University of Arizona student section following a close home loss to the Brigham Young University (BYU) team.

The chants were accompanied by homophobic slurs and other insults as BYU players left the court and headed to their locker room.

A statement from the United Jewish Federation of Utah expressed “concern” and “disappointment” over the chants, saying, “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.

The statement called upon “educational institutions, athletic organizations, and community leaders to actively promote inclusivity and to educate against all forms of discrimination.”

According to the Deseret News, Utah’s Jewish community and BYU, which is sponsored by the LDS church, have strengthened their relationship recently because the starting quarterback on the BYU football team, Jake Retzlaff, is Jewish.

University of Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois, apologized to BYU “on behalf of the University of Arizona Athletic Department” for what was termed an “unacceptable chant.”

Reed-Francois added, “The chant is not reflective of who we are and should not have happened.”

It was BYU’s first visit to the University of Arizona’s McKale Center since 2009.

Photo: top, Credit: AP Photo/Rick Scuteri