A university graduate who stabbed a gender studies professor and two students was “motivated by hate” over gender identity according to Canadian police.

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Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, a 24-year-old, who recently graduated from the University of Waterloo, is alleged to have attacked Professor Katy Fulfer and two unnamed students on Wednesday.

Witness has described how Villalba-Aleman entered the lecture theatre near the end of the session and asked if it was the class about gender. After Fulfer confirmed it was he allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked the lecturer. Fulfer is a feminist philosopher and her classes have included ‘Adventures in Queer Studies’.

“The accused targeted a gender studies class and investigators believe this was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity,” Waterloo police said in a statement.

The professor and two students were treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Villalba-Aleman was arrested by police at the scene as he allegedly attempted to blend in with students fleeing the scene of the assault.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured above, said the event was horrifying.

“Yesterday’s stabbings at a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo are horrifying and unacceptable,” Trudeau said on Twitter on Thursday. “This type of violence must always be condemned. Our thoughts are with the professor and two students who were injured.”

Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, who is an International Student from Colombia, was charged with a range of offences including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

OIP Staff

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