Gad Saad Announces Move to United States
At the precise moment that his book Suicidal Empathy is topping world bestseller charts, prominent Canadian academic Gad Saad has announced he is permanently leaving Montreal for the United States, citing escalating threats to his personal safety. Saad, formerly a marketing professor at Concordia University, revealed his decision during a May 12 appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, stating that repeated death threats had made it untenable for him to remain in Canada.
Saad confirmed the move in a Victoria Day social media post, thanking Concordia “for the complete freedom that I was granted to pursue any research stream and any professional endeavour that I desired.” He added, “I did face some difficulties over the past few years stemming from the unfolding realities in Montreal but I walk away with some sadness (I’m sentimental).”
Threats and Safety Concerns
Saad told Rogan that in 2017, online threats had forced him to follow a safety protocol in which he had to be escorted by security while on campus, with classroom doors locked to keep out potential assailants. “I would lecture, I would be ushered out, my wife would be waiting for me and I would let out a deep sigh, ‘Thank God I survived another week,’” he said.
In 2022, Saad recounted an incident where he was walking with his nine-year-old son when a man approached him. After confirming his identity, the man composed himself and said, “I’m not going to do anything to you out of respect for your son today.” This encounter, among others, underscored the constant danger he faced.
Saad explained, “I’m now leaving in large part because it became difficult for me, if not impossible, to be a high-profile Jewish professor who supports the right of Israel to exist.”
Background of Anti-Israel Radicalism at Concordia
Concordia University has long been a focal point of anti-Israel radicalism. As far back as 2002, an anti-Zionist riot at the school prevented a planned appearance by Israeli politician Benjamin Netanyahu, now prime minister. More recently, in November 2024, an anti-Israel riot saw the school’s main lobby dominated by masked mobs calling for Intifada and interrupting classes with bells and shouted slogans.
Saad’s departure marks the second time in 16 months that an influential Canadian academic has left Canada for the United States, blaming local political conditions for hounding them into exile. Shortly after the 2022 incident, Saad took leave from Concordia to accept a post with the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom at the University of Mississippi.
Future Plans
Saad told Rogan he is currently in the United States on a work visa but hopes to obtain permanent residency and ultimately citizenship. “Maybe we can turn the Saads into Americans,” he said. His bestselling book Suicidal Empathy continues to top charts, highlighting the irony of his departure from Canada at the height of his success.
