An Israel-supporting professor hoisting Israel’s flag was pushed by pro-Palestinian students. A Jewish student was led to tears as her peers shouted “intifada” all around her. An Israeli student was assaulted after posting photos of hostages.
These are some of the anecdotes emerging from campuses nationwide after massive campus protests took place Thursday as part of Students for Justice in Palestine’s nationwide “Day of Resistance” celebrating anti-Israel violence.
The protests took place less than a week after Israel was invaded by Hamas in a series of terror attacks that has killed about 1,100 people, including children who were reportedly “butchered,” Israeli women who were raped, and families who were gunned down inside their homes. Thousands more have been injured.
Clashes are now unfolding on American college campuses.
“A 19-year-old female suspect allegedly assaulted a 24-year-old Israeli student in the School of General Studies at Columbia University on Wednesday evening after tearing down photos of Israeli hostages that had been posted by the victim,” National Review reported.
A NYPD spokesperson told National Review the suspect was arrested and charged with one count of assault.
“The victim suffered minor injuries, including a broken finger and laceration, according to the Columbia University student publication, which complied with the victim’s request to remain anonymous,” National Review reported.
“The victim and a friend had reportedly been putting up posters of Israelis who had been taken hostage by Hamas. The perpetrator asked to join, and later, began ripping down the posters, shouting obscenities, and, when confronted, hit the victim with a stick.”
Another altercation took place as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students held dueling demonstrations at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill on Thursday in an event that started at about 50 students and grew to 500, WRAL reported.
At one point, UNC religious studies Professor Evyatar Marienberg walked into group supporting Palestinians as he hoisted a large Israeli flag and was pushed away by the protesters, video taken by the news station shows. He was escorted away by police when he would not leave, WRAL reported.
“I did not do anything violent,” Marienberg told the news station. “They pushed me and I stayed there. Those people support people who killed hundreds of people — kids, babies.”
“Explosive confrontations” also occurred at the University of Washington, according to Johnathan Choe, a Discovery Institute senior fellow and journalist.
“As the pro-Palestine rally was underway at the University of Washington campus, counter protesters holding Israel flags walked through the crowd calling Hamas a terrorist organization. On cue, the neon vest wearing FAR-LEFT activists and Antifa members started swarming KVI Radio’s Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) and calling him homophobic slurs. Hoffman stood his ground as speakers on stage chanted ‘From The River to the Sea’ and ‘intifada,'” Choe posted on X.
“There were multiple skirmishes with a lot of yelling and shoving. But in the end no punches thrown. Btw, no cops in sight.”
EXPLOSIVE CONFRONTATIONS: As the pro-Palestine rally was underway at the University of Washington campus, counter protesters holding Israel flags walked through the crowd calling Hamas a terrorist organization.
On cue, the neon vest wearing FAR-LEFT activists and Antifa members… pic.twitter.com/eX7k2JiTVC— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) October 12, 2023
One University of Washington Jewish student broke down in tears during the rally, pointing out to an administrator: “They want us dead, how you are allowing this?”
A Jewish student at the University of Washington (@UW) campus witnessing a pro-#Palestinian rally breaks down: “They want us dead, how you are allowing this?” WATCH https://t.co/pRg46za7dd
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) October 12, 2023
At UCLA, “Pro-Hamas students, most in masks to hide their identities, chanting ‘intifada’ or armed, violent rebellion against Israel, after 1200+ massacres in cold blood and hundreds taken hostage,” a Los Angeles-based doctor posted on X with supporting video.
Another video posted to X by Aviva Klompas, co-founder of Boundless Israel, stated: “This is @UCLA where students are screaming ‘intifada, intifada’ – a call to murder Israelis and Jews. Imagine just for a moment what it’s like to [be] a Jewish student on this campus.”
This is @UCLA where students are screaming "intifada, intifada” – a call to murder Israelis and Jews.
Imagine just for a moment what it’s like to a Jewish student on this campus. pic.twitter.com/I52gh6Bqqe
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) October 12, 2023
Earlier in the week, UCLA students were offered extra credit to attend an “emergency” anti-Israel teach in led by two progressive professors on campus, The College Fix reported.
A SPJ rally at the University of Louisville, a public university in Kentucky, included the chants: “From Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go” and “not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes.”
At a rally at the University of Louisville on Thursday, anti-Israel, pro-Hamas SJP chants included: 'From Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go' and 'not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel's crimes.' pic.twitter.com/ngG2L9Myst
— Jennifer Kabbany (@JenniferKabbany) October 13, 2023
Tensions were also high at the University of Michigan, where there has been a constant police presence on the quad amid pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel events, the Michigan Review reported.
At Yale University, a professor who praised the attacks against Israel and argued they were justified is facing calls for her termination.
Zareena Grewal, associate professor of American studies, ethnicity, race and migration, stated on X: “Prayers for Palestinians. Israel is a murderous, genocidal settler state and Palestinians have every right to resist through armed struggle, solidarity.”
“Grewal, who in her X bio described herself as a ‘radical Muslim,’ followed up with a series of tweets that appeared to applaud the bloody invasion, which saw entire families wiped out and babies decapitated, according to the Israeli military,” the New York Post reported.
The petition has more than 41,000 signatures so far.
A Yale spokesperson told the Yale Daily News that the university is “committed to freedom of expression, and the comments posted on Professor Grewal’s personal accounts represent her own views.”
Grewal has made her X account private and not addressed the controversy.
MORE: Professors champion Palestinian ‘decolonization’ after Hamas terror
IMAGE: Johnathan Choe X screenshot
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