| From | ADL Campus <[email protected]> |
| Subject | 🚨 Campus Crisis Alert |
| Date | August 29, 2024 2:23 PM |
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Good morning and welcome to the Campus Crisis Alert. If you were forwarded this email and want to receive your own updates,
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sign up here.
1. 📰 Top Stories
Cornell. Anti-Israel protesters at Cornell University
[link removed]
vandalized Day Hall earlier this week, spray-painting “Israel bombs, Cornell pays,” smashing glass doors and accusing the Ithaca-based Ivy of being a “fascist, classist, imperial machine.” The administration swiftly
[link removed]
condemned the vandalism, stating that “Acts of violence, extended occupation of buildings, or destruction of property (including graffiti), will not be tolerated and will be subject to immediate public safety response,” noting there would be a thorough investigation and those responsible would be subject to suspension and criminal charges. Later that day,
[link removed]
about 150 protesters from The Coalition for Mutual Liberation marched from Ho Plaza into Klarman Hall, chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Police arrived roughly 20 minutes after protesters filled the hall, and protest leaders reportedly urged the crowd to disperse.
DEEPER: This comes just weeks after a former Cornell student was
[link removed]
sentenced to 21 months in prison for making violent threats against the Jewish community at Cornell last October.
(Credit: Ming DeMers | Photography Editor, The Cornell Daily Sun)
~~~~~
Michigan. During the Festifall student club fair held in the heart of the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan yesterday, 50 anti-Israel protesters
[link removed]
held a “die in.” Since they were blocking pedestrian traffic, UM officials repeatedly told them to move. When they did not, the police moved in, arresting four individuals — none of them were students, and only one of them was affiliated with the University in any way (as a temporary employee).
Also this week, the student government at Michigan is
[link removed]
refusing to disperse its $1.3 million budget to fund student activities until the University divests from Israel-related companies, draining funds for initiatives ranging from ballroom dancing to Ultimate frisbee, Ramadan meals, and countless other programs funded by student fees due each semester. Campaigning under the slogan “No Business As Usual,” the Shut It Down party won 22 of the 45 seats in the University’s student assembly during elections last spring, when only 20 percent of the student body voted. The University has maintained that divestment is not an option, and it has pledged to continue funding student activities despite the student government’s
tactics.
~~~~~
South Carolina. Thousands are rightfully expressing concern regarding an upcoming “roast” of Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled to take place at the University of South Carolina, due to fears the event will promote
[link removed]
white supremacy — a safe bet given the guest list will include alt-right, misogynistic, racist, xenophobic, transphobic apologist Milo Yiannopoulos and Gavin McInnes, founder of the Proud Boys, the right-wing extremist group. With the “roast” scheduled to take place at the USC’s Russell House on September 18, University leaders have condemned the “hate and bigotry” associated with the event and condemned the “vile and juvenile rhetoric” used to promote it.
DEEPER. Read ADL’s backgrounder on the
[link removed]
Proud Boys and on
[link removed]
Yiannopoulos.
~~~~~
Sonoma State. On the first day of classes at Sonoma State University, anti-Israel protesters staged
[link removed]
fake Israeli military checkpoints, complete with uniforms, metal detectors and cardboard guns on prominent display for passing students. This comes less than two weeks after
[link removed]
the California State University System adopted new policies that banned overnight encampments, required administration approval for signs and chalking, and prohibited students from wearing masks “with the intent of intimidating and harassing any person or group, or for the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification.” ADL is in touch with the Administration at Sonoma State; stay tuned.
~~~~~
Connecticut. The University of Connecticut recently released
[link removed]
updated policies for outdoor activities, highlighting a
[link removed]
list of prohibited activities that include “camping or encampments” and “blocking access to public spaces or hindering anyone’s ability to enter or exit an area.” The policy notes that failure to comply could result in university sanctions or “law enforcement action, including criminal penalties.” Good to see this development; go UCONN!
~~~~~
Minnesota. Since last spring, ADL and others have led an effort to urge the University of Minnesota not to divest from Israel. On Tuesday, in a special meeting of the University’s Board of Regents, they
[link removed]
declined to divest from certain investments related to Israel. Regent Janie Mayeron said: “we believe today’s action honors our fiduciary duty and the long-term needs of the University.” In response, one student organizer told press after the meeting: “(We'll) continue to do a lot of the same disruptive actions that we had over the past year.”
👉 TAKE ACTION.
[link removed]
Thank the Board of Regents for rejecting this divisive call to divest from Israel.
~~~~~
Divestment Dangers. A new
[link removed]
analysis from ADL and JLens unpacks the demands and consequences if universities answer to the extremists and divest from companies and industries connected to Israel. The report explores the economic risks of divestment (“More than 100 companies from the S&P 500 conduct business in Israel, including many of the world's largest and most successful companies”), as well as legal implications (“Investment Committees have a fiduciary duty, which is a legal responsibility, to make decisions in the best financial interests of the university”). Beyond that, the report highlights the clear connection between calls for divestment and broader efforts to delegitimize Israel,
citing the “false and offensive implication that Israel is on par with the deeply oppressive Apartheid-era South Africa,” as well as the ways anti-Israel protests have left Jewish students feeling “marginalized and unsafe.”
2. 🏆 Campus Champions
One Brave Barnardian. In an essay published this week, Eliana Birman shared her fears as an
[link removed]
incoming college freshman, saying “I am a proud Jew and Zionist, and this week, I moved into my dorm at Barnard College of Columbia University. I’m heading into the belly of the beast.” Having followed the problems at Barnard and Columbia last year, she writes: “I refuse to hide my identity or my beliefs. I am proud of who I am and what I stand for. But I am also afraid—afraid for my mental and physical safety and for my well-being. I can’t express my beliefs without expecting consequences.” Be strong, Eliana.
~~~~~
Reeled in. Meta has
[link removed]
suspended the Instagram account of the NYU People’s Solidarity Coalition after leaders at New York University informed Meta that the group had embraced “armed struggle” in a post. This comes two days after Meta disabled Columbia University’s Students for Justice in Palestine Instagram account and permanently banned the group on all Meta platforms. Notably, Meta updated its
[link removed]
social media policy last month, saying it will now remove speech that uses the term “Zionists” to “refer to Jews and Israelis with dehumanizing comparisons, calls for harm, or denials of existence.” Reading this, we’d definitely hit the “like” button.
~~~~~
Cracking The Code. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) called on universities in New York to address antisemitism more comprehensively by ensuring their policies account for the use of antisemitic
[link removed]
“code words.” In a Tuesday
[link removed]
letter to the heads of Columbia, SUNY, Cornell, CUNY and Fordham, he commended NYU for updating its policies to address anti-Zionist harassment, writing “The substitution of the word ‘Zionist’ for ‘Jew’ is the modus operandi of the new antisemitism. [...] Engaging in harassment, intimidation, and discrimination against ‘Zionists’ is antisemitism both in intent and in effect.” Rep. Torres concluded by urging every college and university to follow NYU’s example.
3. 💪✡️ Am Yisrael Chai
Dance with Noa. Noa Argamani, an Israeli hostage held by Hamas for nine months, celebrated her
[link removed]
return home with a party this week titled, “Dance with Noa.” Speaking to a crowd of friends and family, Argamani acknowledged the timing was “not ideal,” as 109 hostages remain in Gaza, including her partner Avinatan Or, but she chose to celebrate life, urging the crowd “To remember that we have to value every day in this life, we have to celebrate every moment that we’re here.” Noa’s mother, Liora Argamani, died of brain cancer just three weeks after Noa was rescued and was able to spend her final moments with her daughter. May her memory be a blessing.
~~~~~
Burning Man. This year’s Burning Man, a festival that attracts more than 70,000 people each year to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, will organize events, art installations, and a moment of silence to
[link removed]
commemorate victims of the 10/7 attack on the Nova festival. The Nevada festival will feature a massive gate-shaped art piece with the words “We Will Dance Again,” 405 laser-cut angels, and a spiral staircase adorned with 100 messages of love in both English and Hebrew. Additionally, the “Nova Heaven” team is building a replica of the multi-colored tent that was at the center of the Nova festival. According to the organizers, “To us, ‘Nova Heaven’ is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of profound loss.”
(Credit: Nova Heaven | Times of Israel)
4. 📣 Info and Action:
[link removed]
Not on My Campus
-
[link removed]
Students — how to take action, deal with antisemitism, and organize your community.
-
[link removed]
Alumni — how to organize a sign-on letter, answer a fundraising request, or write a letter to a university president.
-
[link removed]
Parents — write a letter about commencement, organize a dial day, or get help selecting a college for your student.
-
[link removed]
Glossary of Commonly Used Antisemitic Phrases Heard at Protests.
-
[link removed]
Campus Antisemitism Report Card — see the grade a college earned in this first-ever report card.
-
[link removed]
Report an Antisemitic Incident.
- Are you a student or know one who needs legal help? Contact our
[link removed]
Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), run by ADL, Hillel, the Brandeis Center, and Gibson Dunn. Hundreds of incidents have been reported. You are not alone!
Do you have something to share with us? We are building this as we go — so please email us at
mailto:[email protected]
[email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos, and videos.
[link removed]
Support Our Work
[link removed]
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
[link removed]
Read Our Blog and Follow Us
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
ADL, 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10158
(c) 2024
[link removed]
Anti-Defamation League . All rights reserved.
[link removed]
Contact ADL
[link removed]
Unsubscribe or Update Email Preferences
[link removed]
Privacy Policy
[link removed]
View email in browser —
[link removed]
Good morning and welcome to the Campus Crisis Alert. If you were forwarded this email and want to receive your own updates,
[link removed]
sign up here.
1. 📰 Top Stories
Cornell. Anti-Israel protesters at Cornell University
[link removed]
vandalized Day Hall earlier this week, spray-painting “Israel bombs, Cornell pays,” smashing glass doors and accusing the Ithaca-based Ivy of being a “fascist, classist, imperial machine.” The administration swiftly
[link removed]
condemned the vandalism, stating that “Acts of violence, extended occupation of buildings, or destruction of property (including graffiti), will not be tolerated and will be subject to immediate public safety response,” noting there would be a thorough investigation and those responsible would be subject to suspension and criminal charges. Later that day,
[link removed]
about 150 protesters from The Coalition for Mutual Liberation marched from Ho Plaza into Klarman Hall, chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Police arrived roughly 20 minutes after protesters filled the hall, and protest leaders reportedly urged the crowd to disperse.
DEEPER: This comes just weeks after a former Cornell student was
[link removed]
sentenced to 21 months in prison for making violent threats against the Jewish community at Cornell last October.
(Credit: Ming DeMers | Photography Editor, The Cornell Daily Sun)
~~~~~
Michigan. During the Festifall student club fair held in the heart of the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan yesterday, 50 anti-Israel protesters
[link removed]
held a “die in.” Since they were blocking pedestrian traffic, UM officials repeatedly told them to move. When they did not, the police moved in, arresting four individuals — none of them were students, and only one of them was affiliated with the University in any way (as a temporary employee).
Also this week, the student government at Michigan is
[link removed]
refusing to disperse its $1.3 million budget to fund student activities until the University divests from Israel-related companies, draining funds for initiatives ranging from ballroom dancing to Ultimate frisbee, Ramadan meals, and countless other programs funded by student fees due each semester. Campaigning under the slogan “No Business As Usual,” the Shut It Down party won 22 of the 45 seats in the University’s student assembly during elections last spring, when only 20 percent of the student body voted. The University has maintained that divestment is not an option, and it has pledged to continue funding student activities despite the student government’s
tactics.
~~~~~
South Carolina. Thousands are rightfully expressing concern regarding an upcoming “roast” of Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled to take place at the University of South Carolina, due to fears the event will promote
[link removed]
white supremacy — a safe bet given the guest list will include alt-right, misogynistic, racist, xenophobic, transphobic apologist Milo Yiannopoulos and Gavin McInnes, founder of the Proud Boys, the right-wing extremist group. With the “roast” scheduled to take place at the USC’s Russell House on September 18, University leaders have condemned the “hate and bigotry” associated with the event and condemned the “vile and juvenile rhetoric” used to promote it.
DEEPER. Read ADL’s backgrounder on the
[link removed]
Proud Boys and on
[link removed]
Yiannopoulos.
~~~~~
Sonoma State. On the first day of classes at Sonoma State University, anti-Israel protesters staged
[link removed]
fake Israeli military checkpoints, complete with uniforms, metal detectors and cardboard guns on prominent display for passing students. This comes less than two weeks after
[link removed]
the California State University System adopted new policies that banned overnight encampments, required administration approval for signs and chalking, and prohibited students from wearing masks “with the intent of intimidating and harassing any person or group, or for the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification.” ADL is in touch with the Administration at Sonoma State; stay tuned.
~~~~~
Connecticut. The University of Connecticut recently released
[link removed]
updated policies for outdoor activities, highlighting a
[link removed]
list of prohibited activities that include “camping or encampments” and “blocking access to public spaces or hindering anyone’s ability to enter or exit an area.” The policy notes that failure to comply could result in university sanctions or “law enforcement action, including criminal penalties.” Good to see this development; go UCONN!
~~~~~
Minnesota. Since last spring, ADL and others have led an effort to urge the University of Minnesota not to divest from Israel. On Tuesday, in a special meeting of the University’s Board of Regents, they
[link removed]
declined to divest from certain investments related to Israel. Regent Janie Mayeron said: “we believe today’s action honors our fiduciary duty and the long-term needs of the University.” In response, one student organizer told press after the meeting: “(We'll) continue to do a lot of the same disruptive actions that we had over the past year.”
👉 TAKE ACTION.
[link removed]
Thank the Board of Regents for rejecting this divisive call to divest from Israel.
~~~~~
Divestment Dangers. A new
[link removed]
analysis from ADL and JLens unpacks the demands and consequences if universities answer to the extremists and divest from companies and industries connected to Israel. The report explores the economic risks of divestment (“More than 100 companies from the S&P 500 conduct business in Israel, including many of the world's largest and most successful companies”), as well as legal implications (“Investment Committees have a fiduciary duty, which is a legal responsibility, to make decisions in the best financial interests of the university”). Beyond that, the report highlights the clear connection between calls for divestment and broader efforts to delegitimize Israel,
citing the “false and offensive implication that Israel is on par with the deeply oppressive Apartheid-era South Africa,” as well as the ways anti-Israel protests have left Jewish students feeling “marginalized and unsafe.”
2. 🏆 Campus Champions
One Brave Barnardian. In an essay published this week, Eliana Birman shared her fears as an
[link removed]
incoming college freshman, saying “I am a proud Jew and Zionist, and this week, I moved into my dorm at Barnard College of Columbia University. I’m heading into the belly of the beast.” Having followed the problems at Barnard and Columbia last year, she writes: “I refuse to hide my identity or my beliefs. I am proud of who I am and what I stand for. But I am also afraid—afraid for my mental and physical safety and for my well-being. I can’t express my beliefs without expecting consequences.” Be strong, Eliana.
~~~~~
Reeled in. Meta has
[link removed]
suspended the Instagram account of the NYU People’s Solidarity Coalition after leaders at New York University informed Meta that the group had embraced “armed struggle” in a post. This comes two days after Meta disabled Columbia University’s Students for Justice in Palestine Instagram account and permanently banned the group on all Meta platforms. Notably, Meta updated its
[link removed]
social media policy last month, saying it will now remove speech that uses the term “Zionists” to “refer to Jews and Israelis with dehumanizing comparisons, calls for harm, or denials of existence.” Reading this, we’d definitely hit the “like” button.
~~~~~
Cracking The Code. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) called on universities in New York to address antisemitism more comprehensively by ensuring their policies account for the use of antisemitic
[link removed]
“code words.” In a Tuesday
[link removed]
letter to the heads of Columbia, SUNY, Cornell, CUNY and Fordham, he commended NYU for updating its policies to address anti-Zionist harassment, writing “The substitution of the word ‘Zionist’ for ‘Jew’ is the modus operandi of the new antisemitism. [...] Engaging in harassment, intimidation, and discrimination against ‘Zionists’ is antisemitism both in intent and in effect.” Rep. Torres concluded by urging every college and university to follow NYU’s example.
3. 💪✡️ Am Yisrael Chai
Dance with Noa. Noa Argamani, an Israeli hostage held by Hamas for nine months, celebrated her
[link removed]
return home with a party this week titled, “Dance with Noa.” Speaking to a crowd of friends and family, Argamani acknowledged the timing was “not ideal,” as 109 hostages remain in Gaza, including her partner Avinatan Or, but she chose to celebrate life, urging the crowd “To remember that we have to value every day in this life, we have to celebrate every moment that we’re here.” Noa’s mother, Liora Argamani, died of brain cancer just three weeks after Noa was rescued and was able to spend her final moments with her daughter. May her memory be a blessing.
~~~~~
Burning Man. This year’s Burning Man, a festival that attracts more than 70,000 people each year to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, will organize events, art installations, and a moment of silence to
[link removed]
commemorate victims of the 10/7 attack on the Nova festival. The Nevada festival will feature a massive gate-shaped art piece with the words “We Will Dance Again,” 405 laser-cut angels, and a spiral staircase adorned with 100 messages of love in both English and Hebrew. Additionally, the “Nova Heaven” team is building a replica of the multi-colored tent that was at the center of the Nova festival. According to the organizers, “To us, ‘Nova Heaven’ is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of profound loss.”
(Credit: Nova Heaven | Times of Israel)
4. 📣 Info and Action:
[link removed]
Not on My Campus
-
[link removed]
Students — how to take action, deal with antisemitism, and organize your community.
-
[link removed]
Alumni — how to organize a sign-on letter, answer a fundraising request, or write a letter to a university president.
-
[link removed]
Parents — write a letter about commencement, organize a dial day, or get help selecting a college for your student.
-
[link removed]
Glossary of Commonly Used Antisemitic Phrases Heard at Protests.
-
[link removed]
Campus Antisemitism Report Card — see the grade a college earned in this first-ever report card.
-
[link removed]
Report an Antisemitic Incident.
- Are you a student or know one who needs legal help? Contact our
[link removed]
Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), run by ADL, Hillel, the Brandeis Center, and Gibson Dunn. Hundreds of incidents have been reported. You are not alone!
Do you have something to share with us? We are building this as we go — so please email us at
mailto:[email protected]
[email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos, and videos.
[link removed]
Support Our Work
[link removed]
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
[link removed]
Read Our Blog and Follow Us
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
ADL, 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10158
(c) 2024
[link removed]
Anti-Defamation League . All rights reserved.
[link removed]
Contact ADL
[link removed]
Unsubscribe or Update Email Preferences
[link removed]
Privacy Policy
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