Campus Watch March 7, 2024

UC Berkeley Police Launch Criminal Investigation Into Disruption of Israel Lecture

UC Berkeley’s police launched a criminal investigation into the events of Feb. 26, in which pro-Palestinian protesters shut down a lecture of a former Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldier. 

Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof told The Jewish News of Northern California (The J) on Feb. 28 that the investigation is underway, which includes two reported instances of battery. Three Jewish students reportedly were injured that evening, one of whom claims she was choked.  The J noted that the university’s records show “trespassing, riot, battery on a peace officer/emergency personnel, battery on a person, and obstructing or resisting an officer or emergency med tech” and “also cited two injuries and felony vandalism” from the Feb. 25 protest.

“We will seek consequences for any lawbreakers,” Mogulof told The J. “As per the chancellor’s instructions, we will now be turning our attention to doing what we must so that nothing like Monday night ever happens again.”

“Zionists Not Welcome”: UCSB Student President Targeted With Antisemitic Messages

UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) Student President Tessa Veksler, an Orthodox Jew, was targeted when signs with hateful messages such as “Zionist Not Allowed” were hung at the university’s Multicultural Center.

Veksler posted images of the signage in a Feb. 26 Instagram post; the messages included, “Tessa Veksler supports genocide,” “Get these Zionists out of office,” and “when people are occupied, resistance is justified.” Veksler called the signs “dehumanizing” and expressed concern for her safety on campus. “This incident is not an isolated incident but rather a culimination of neglecting to adequately address the implications of such speech and actions within our university,” she wrote on Instagram. “UC Santa Barbara must not remain complicit in the target, intimidation, and discrimination against its Jewish students. Silence endorses and perpetuates discrimination against Jewish students.”

The university said in a statement to The Algemeiner on Feb. 28, “The campus was distressed to learn of incidents over the weekend that included offensive social media message and signage on one of our buildings. The signage has been removed and campus is conducting a bias incident review based on potential discrimination related to protected categories that include religion, citizenship, and or ethnic origin.”

Columbia’s Middle East Institute “Extends a Warm Welcome” to Hamas-Supporting Professor

Columbia University’s Middle East Institute (MEI) announced a “warm welcome” in January to a visiting professor who has reportedly professed support for Hamas.

The Washington Free Beacon reported on Feb. 27 that the professor, Mohamed Abdou, is teaching a weekly “Decolonial-Queerness & Abolition” class. The Free Beacon found a purported Facebook post from Abdou on Oct. 11 stating that he’s “with the muqawamah (the resistance) be it Hamas and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.” The Free Beacon also noted that Abdou said in a Jan. 5 interview on the “Revolutionary Left Radio” podcast, “I might be with Hamas and support the resistance… Look what 1,500 did … they were organized and they worked in stealth mode.”

UVA Students Vote for BDS Referendum

University of Virginia (UVA) students voted in favor of a referendum on Feb. 28 calling for the university to undergo “an auditing process to determine the extent to which University endowment funds are invested in companies engaging in or profiting from the State of Israel’s apartheid regime and acute violence against Palestinians and to immediately divest all funds so identified.” 

The referendum passed with 68% in favor and 32% against. 

A university spokesperson told Jewish Insider, “As a general matter, the university does not take positions on student referenda. UVA has a tradition of student self-governance, which means students are responsible for running elections like this. The referendum was an expression of the opinion of the students who voted for it, it is not the university’s position and it is not binding on the university in any way.”

El Camino High Students Walkout to Protest Antisemitism

Students at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills held a walkout on Feb. 27 to protest antisemitism on campus.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the protesters chanted, “Stop the Hate” and held Israeli flags. One student, Danielle Eshed, told KTLA that a classmate called her a “dirty Jew” and then “pushed me and started punching me.” Eshed’s father, Edan, spoke at the rally and said, “The school thinks that he has more rights than my daughter for protection. He has rights to be educated, but my daughter [doesn’t] have the rights for her safety.” El Camino Executive Director David Hussey told KABC that the student who attacked Eshed has been disciplined.