UCLA students and faculty raise alarm on antisemitic and anti-Palestinian hate amid ongoing protests
UCLA Task Force to Combat Antisemitism & Anti-Israeli Bias conducted a survey that found that antisemitism had worsened since October 7, 2023.
A previous report by the Task Force on Anti-Palestinian Racism, Anti-Muslim Racism, and Anti-Arab Racism condemned suppression of pro-Palestinian speeches.
UCLA continues to be a hotbed of tensions amid new protests, lawsuits, and strict rules for protests.
According to one group, UCLA is a hotbed for antisemitism, anti-Israeli prejudice, and an administration which hasn’t taken sufficient action against pro-Palestinian protests, which violate university rules, and deviate into anti-Jewish slogans and tropes.
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The university is a place of repression for Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian American voices. It has strict rules on free speech and excessive security patrols that crack down on pro Palestinian protesters who demand that the university cut ties with Israel’s military.
After more than a year of campus protests following the October 7, Hamas attack against Israel and the nation’s retaliatory conflict in Gaza, and almost six months after a violent mob swept a UCLA pro Palestinian encampment, dueling university task force and divided students have painted contrasting images of the Westwood Campus still reeling from the tumultuous Spring.
UCLA’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism & Anti-Israeli Bias released this week a 93-page document submitted to interim Chancellor Darnell hunt. The report describes “wide-based perceptions” of antisemitic & anti-Israeli bias that have grown over the past year.
A survey of hundreds students, faculty, and staff found that a large number had considered leaving campus for other degrees or jobs, citing hostility by peers due to their Jewish, Israeli, or pro-Israel identity or feeling abandoned.
The report cited over 100 Jews and Israeli Americans who claimed to have been attacked or threatened for their identity in the past year, as well as several instances where swastikas were chalked on or spray painted on buildings, classrooms, or campus sidewalks, since October 7, 2023.
The report noted several instances of disrespectful use of the Star of David. For example, a star was chalked on campus with the words, “step here”. This is a Jewish star that appears prominently in the Israeli flag as well as the emblem of Israel Defense Forces. The report also included messages that were explicitly directed at Israelis. For example, a sign displayed during a protest on campus said “Israelis native to hell.”
This publication follows two reports, released in April and June, by the UCLA Task Force on Anti-Palestinian Anti-Muslim and Anti-Arab Racism. These reports criticized “increased targeting, harassment and violence” against these groups, as well as a “campus that is less safe than ever.” The UCLA Task Force on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Muslim and Anti Arab Racism is currently working on a third report.
The task forces were created in the fall and winter of last year in response to complaints about hate incidents, protests, and a breakdown in relations between campus groups on both sides of Israel-Palestinian conflict. UCLA was in the spotlight for its April 30 clash at a pro Palestinian encampment, when agitators attacked demonstrators while understaffed police waited for reinforcements. On May 2, the police arrested more than 200 people and demolished the camp.
The calls for change, from policing issues to free speech, are not legally binding. They come at a time when the university is battling another round of protests and debates over hate speech.
Protests, lawsuits and restrictions continue
A group of pro Palestinian students and faculty filed suit in state court on Tuesday. They claimed that the university had violated their 1st Amendment right when they cleared the spring camp and subjected them wrongly to disciplinary actions over protesting.
Two professors and two students, who were both part of the encampment, alleged that UCLA “unlawfully” caused arrests of faculty and students engaged in nonviolent demonstration. The protesters are represented by the ACLU Southern California and have asked the court for the police to stop declaring “unlawful assemblies” when only the university’s policy is violated, and to reserve the order for acts of violence, or if the demonstrators seem to be violating criminal laws.
The lawsuit alleges that UCLA shut down encampments in California this year based on an incorrect interpretation California penal code regarding unlawful assembly. The plaintiffs want UCLA to remove “any arrest records or discipline records” relating to their involvement in encampment.
In August, in a separate lawsuit, a federal court ordered UCLA to provide equal access to Jewish Students. Three of them claimed that UCLA allowed encampment demonstrators to block Jews from certain parts of campus.
These legal actions follow major changes made by UCLA and the UC System in their approach to protests. The University of California declared zero tolerance for encampments across the system and prohibited the use of masks as a way to hide identity when breaking the law. UCLA’s new safety chief is overhauling the procedures. As more private security guards patrol, the vast majority campus is now off limits to unpermitted demonstrations.
Task force members from both sides agreed that more must be done.
Richard Steinberg is a UCLA professor of law and a member of the task force on antisemitism. He said that last spring “campus leadership failed to enforce their own rules” repeatedly. The question is, will this change? Will campus leadership enforce the rules and laws and punish those who break them? “The campus leadership’s enforcement of rules is not encouraging so far this year.”
He cited as an example a pro Palestinian march that occurred on the anniversary of Oct. 7, which took place in zones not permitted, but didn’t result in any citations or arrests for students or staff violating UCLA policies. Rick Braziel refused to explain why no action was taken in response to the protest on Oct. 7. He claimed that no arrests had been made as there was no significant disruption of campus operations. This is what triggers a declaration of unlawful assembly and the threat to issue citations.
The events began to unfold differently on Monday morning when pro-Palestinian Jewish students and non-Jewish ones erected tent-like structures in an off-limits court in the central campus. Campus officials asked the group to stop protesting, but it continued throughout the day. A few tents were also erected. Unidentified individuals tore down the Sukkah. Police issued a dispersal notice and the activists left the site at night.
Antisemitism, anti-Israeli bias and other findings
Steinberg, who helped compile the report, asked 428 UCLA members who were Jewish or Israeli or both
