UI Jewish leaders speak out against pro-Palestine encampment
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Jewish leaders at the University of Illinois are speaking out against what they called “open antisemitism” on campus over the last few days and are planning on “peacefully congregating” on Tuesday in response.
The “open antisemitism” refers to the pro-Palestinian encampment that took place Friday, restarted on Sunday and is ongoing as of Tuesday afternoon. In an email to Chancellor Robert Jones and other university administrators, Hillel President Ben Shapiro, Chabad President Ellie Scott and others claimed that the protest is not just about the situation in Gaza but is an attempt to instill fear into the Jewish U of I community.
“Their chants started as cries for political action but devolved into chants for the annihilation of our homeland and the eradication of our people,” the leaders said. “Countless Jewish students pass by this demonstration on their way to their dorms, classes, and holiday celebrations. This protest has not appeared out of coincidence during a time of great celebration amongst our people, Passover.”
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The leaders said they are speaking for “a large community of students who sit fearful to leave their homes, attend class, and speak out.” They implored university administration to take action to ensure Jewish students and the greater Jewish community are protected.
That action, the leaders said, includes enforcing campus policy by removing the tents the pro-Palestinian protestors set up and holding violators accountable.
In addition, as a show of pride and unity, the leaders said they will be organizing a gathering at the Alma Mater statue on campus, the original site of the encampment, on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
“We write to you as the Jewish leaders of the University of Illinois, speakers for a group that is proud to be Jewish at UIUC and unwilling to be intimidated in the face of hatred against our people,” the leaders concluded their email with.
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The full email can be read below:
Dear Chancellor Jones,
We write to you speaking for a large community of students who sit fearful to leave their homes, attend class, and speak out about the open antisemitism that has plagued our campus these past days.
As you are aware, starting early Friday morning, large troves of hateful anti-Zionist students congregated around Alma Mater with tents, shields, and food supplies to last several days. Their chants started as cries for political action but devolved into chants for the annihilation of our homeland and the eradication of our people. Countless Jewish students pass by this demonstration on their way to their dorms, classes, and holiday celebrations. This protest has not appeared out of coincidence during a time of great celebration amongst our people, Passover. The group is amassing barricades, both wooden pallets and plywood shields, as well as distributing helmets, goggles, and respirators to participants. They are running drills for “de-arresting” themselves and how to physically fight with police. Make no mistake, this protest is not solely about the situation in Gaza but rather serves to instill fear into our community, in hopes that we will stay silent and to make us pariahs on campus.
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As students on campus, in fear for our safety, we implore the university to enforce campus policy and ensure that the encampment violations come to an end. They have set up stable, semi-permanent structures that are in direct violation of university code and this makes us, as Jewish students, feel uncomfortable and unwelcome on our own college campus. Action must be taken to ensure that Jewish students and the greater Jewish community are protected from hate and harassment.
For these reasons, we call on the University to uphold their policies, hold those who violate them accountable, and remove the encampment at the heart of our campus, the main quad, as soon as possible.
[Tuesday] afternoon, as a show of pride and unity within our community, we will be peacefully congregating around Alma Mater. We write to you as the Jewish leaders of the University of Illinois, speakers for a group that is proud to be Jewish at UIUC and unwilling to be intimidated in the face of hatred against our people.
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