Judge Rules Lawsuiit Against Harvard for Anti-Semitism Can Begin

Harvard

A federal judge in Boston has ruled that a lawsuit brought against Harvard University for failing to deal with campus anti-Semitism can begin. The Louis D Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, which brought the suit, has the details here. 

This is certainly good news. These lawsuits should put our universities on notice that if they fail to protect Jewish students on campus from these pro-Palestinian bullies, there will be legal consequences. I hope to see many more such lawsuits brought against other universities.

France: One Dead in Nightclub Shooting: Two in Custody

Saint-Peray, France

This past week, there was a shooting in front of a nightclub in southern France. One young man who was waiting to get into the club was fatally shot and two others were wounded. There were reportedly two suspects, one of whom fired into the crowd and a driver of a getaway car.

Two suspects are now in custody. One is believed to be the shooter, a 23-year-old man of French nationality, born in Tunisia. The suspected driver is a 19-year-old man from Italy.

The below article from RTL France is translated by Fousesquawk. Though no names of the suspects appear in this article, other sources identify one suspect as Hassan Youssef D., however, there are conflicting reports as to whether this person was the shooter or the driver.

One of the suspects was arrested at a known drug dealing location in Marseilles associated with the North African drug trafficking organization in that city, DZ Mafia. 

INFO RTL-Death of Nicolas: Two suspects arrested in Cavaillon and Marseilles

Four days after the shooting in front of a discotheque having produced one death, two suspects have been arrested in Cavaillon (Vaucluse) and Marseilles (Bouches-du-Rhone).

Four days after the shooting that occurred in front of a discotheque in Saint-Peray, in Ardeche, the investigation is progressing. Two suspects were arrested Monday, November 4th, RTL has learned from police sources. The alleged shooter, a 23-year-old  man born in Tunis, of French nationality, was arrested in Cavaillon in the Vaucluse (Department in SE France).

Another man, suspected of being the driver, age 19 from Italy, was arrested at a drug dealing location (identified) as belonging to the DZ Mafia clan in the Bricarde quarter of Marseilles. He is not listed in (French police criminal files).

The shooting produced one death, Nicolas Dumas, 22, died Saturday as a result of his wounds in the hospital of Valence (Drome). A 24-year-old woman and a 22-year-old security officer were wounded in the leg.

Nicolas was not the shooter's target according to several witness accounts.

Though the circumstances of the shooting remain blurred, the witness accounts gathered by the investigators at the scene suggest that Nicolas was not the target of the shooter, who was wearing a balaclava and was armed with an automatic weapon. The shooting is not believed to be linked to drug traffic.

One of the (theories) being examined by the investigators is that the shooter was refused access to the nightclub while he was accompanied by several individuals.

The death of Nicolas revives the wounds of the Rugby de Romans-sur-Isere club. A year ago, another player from the club, Thomas Perroto, died in Crepol (Drome). All the leaders point out that the two tragedies have no direct or indirect connections. A vigil will be organized in tribute to Nicolas by the club.

Anti-Semitic Vandalism at Simmons University

This article first appeared in Times of Israel Blogs.

Simmons University in Boston

Simmons University in Massachusetts has just experienced an act of vandalism on campus. Predictably, it was an act of vandalism committed on behalf of the Palestinian cause and against Israel. That is hardly uncommon these days.  It is noteworthy in that it involves vandalism not against an Israeli institution or location, rather against a Jewish religious symbol, that of the Jewish celebration of Sukkah that had been was put up by Hillel. The incident apparently occurred on the night of October 24. While it is noteworthy, it is not an isolated incident. Campus Reform and the Simmons campus newspaper, The Simmons Voice, have the respective reports here and here.

Contrary to the claims of the pro-Palestinian crowd, including, in this case, the campus chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, a radical, anti-Israel organization, the act does, indeed, constitute an act of anti-Semitism. When you attack a Jewish religious symbol, it is anti-Semitic. 

First of all, I would like to note that pro-Israel students on American campuses do not vandalize pro-Palestinian displays. Nor do they attack Islam. On this aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is a one-sided battle, at least here in America.

Secondly, I would never condone someone vandalizing a mosque or any other Muslim religious institution by displaying a pro-Israeli message. As another example, let's assume a Muslim Student organization put up a sign advertising a Ramadan event on campus and someone spray-painted, "Long live Israel" on it. I would condemn that. Not only is the act of vandalism wrong but using the Middle East conflict to focus upon and target a religious display is even more wrong. I say that even though I believe that religion plays a very large role in the Israel-Palestinian conflict and I have repeatedly stated that the pro-Palestinian movement in the US, particularly on our college campuses, is anti-Semitic. I have seen and heard too many anti-Semitic expressions on college campuses to believe otherwise. This act of vandalism at Simmons University just goes to prove me correct.

I also say that in spite of the fact that I am critical of political, militant Islam and its link to acts of terrorism carried out against innocent people. But there is a time and place for that kind of criticism, and it should be done without blaming all Muslims and while respecting their rights. With few exceptions, Jewish and pro-Israel students on our campuses have followed the rules of civilized discourse. The other side, unfortunately, has not. This latest example from Simmons University is just another example.

Iran: Woman Strips Down to Underwear and Is Arrested

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes for subtitling. Translation by Fousesquawk.

On Saturday, an Iranian woman was involved in some sort of confrontation with police on the campus of Asad University in Teheran. The police reportedly tore her clothes and head covering. At this point, the woman stripped down to her underwear and walked back and forth in protest until she was arrested and turned over to the so-called "Morals Police".

The incident was picked up by the Belgian daily, HLN, which posted the videos taken by passersby. One video has Dutch subtitles which we have translated into English subtitles (pending).

Update: Here is the video.

Caption: A student protested in her underwear in Iran

Images of student who undressed in Iran go viral: Young woman arrested after "underwear protest"

On Saturday in Iran, a student reportedly stripped down to her underwear after a clash with police. The incident occurred at the private university of Asad in the capital city of Teheran, according to the human rights organization, Hengaw.

KVE-November 3, 2024, 08:10  Latest update: 12:27. Source: Barron's, Reuters, Belga, X

The woman was harassed at the university by members of the paramilitary unit, Basij, which is linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.  They tore her clothes and her head covering, according to reports from various news outlets and social media channels outside Iran.

The student then removed her clothes in protest and went out to sit on a wall before walking up and down the street with her arms crossed to the surprise of passersby, which videos posted on social media show.

Pro-government media claimed that she had "mental" problems and reported that the university security service turned the girl over to the police.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, there are strict dress codes for women. In public spaces, they must wear the headscarf. The morals police make sure the rules are followed, but the younger generation increasingly disregards them, especially in Teheran and other large cities.

"Arrested by force"

The human rights organization, Amnesty International, immediately called for the release of the woman who had undressed. "The Iranian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the university student who was arrested with force after she had removed her clothes in protest against the strict clothing codes and compulsory head covering," it said on X.

"Pending her release, the authorities must protect her from torture and other mistreatment and ensure that she can speak with a lawyer and her family."

Amnesty International added that the "accusations of mistreatment and sexual force during her arrest must be independently and impartially investigated".

Netherlands: Update on Ammonia Attacker in Amsterdam

Hat tip Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes for subtitling. Translation by Fousesquawk. 

On October 29, we translated an article from De Telegraaf on the efforts by Dutch police to identify a man who threw an ammonia bottle at police during a pro-Palestinian protest in Amsterdam last May. The article contained a video that we have now translated along with Gates of Vienna and Vlad Tepes.

Gaza City: Twinning With Irvine, California?

(No!)

Hat tip Middle East Forum and Islamist Watch

Irvine

This article first appeared in New English  Review.

I am cross-posting an intriguing article by Benjamin Baird in Middle East Forum/Islamist Watch on the efforts of Gaza City to establish a twin city relationship with Irvine, California.

I note with interest the apparent interest of Irvine politician, Larry Agram, in this proposal. For decades, Agran has alternated between being the mayor of Irvine and a city council member. He is considered the "man to see" in Irvine politics. A real "mover" if you get my drift.

Living very close to Irvine and having taught part-time at the University of California at Irvine (UCI), I am very familiar with the area. It is a bedroom community that was incorporated as a city only in the 1960s. In recent years, the area has become more cosmopolitan, but between homes, shopping, restaurants, hospitals, and UC Irvine (and Irvine Community College). it's hard to view it as a city in the traditional sense.

The way I see it, there is only one reason Gaza would reach out to Irvine. The University of California at Irvine for over two decades has been home to an aggressive push by the Muslim Student Union and Students for Justice in Palestine chapters in their movement against the state of Israel. For years, these two groups have invited a plethora of speakers to campus to trash the Jewish state and all-too-often insult Jews as well. To make things worse, pro-Israel events by Jewish and conservative students have been regularly disrupted by the aforementioned groups. The plight of Jewish students on the UCI campus has been well documented on this site since 2007. In addition, Irvine has seen an increase in the number of Arab/Muslim residents over the years. As pointed out in the article, Irvine City Council meetings have long been plagued by the presence of pro-Hamas characters pushing the anti-Israel agenda. 

Not surprisingly, anti-Semitic incidents at UCI have occurred over the past couple of decades, incidents which have been noted by the Israeli media and apparently, by Palestinians as well. The latter obviously feel they have a strong lobby in Irvine and want to build on it.

In light of the events of October 7, 2023, should the Irvine City Council accept this invitation, we can only conclude that they are in total sympathy with the terrorist forces in Gaza  (Hamas) who committed the worst anti-Jewish atrocity since World War 2, and who continue in their efforts to destroy Israel and murder every Jew living there. Should Irvine enter into such a relationship. they might as well enter into a similar relationship with Hezbollah in Beiruit, the mullahs in Tehran, and the Houthis in whatever city they call their stronghold in Yemen. In the wake of October 7, 2023 and the past year's pro-Hamas protests at UCI with the disgraceful encampment that had to be broken up by police, it would send a message that Irvine does not stand with its Jewish residents and is indifferent to the wave of anti-Semitism that has plagued the city (and the nation) for a year now.

This approach by Gaza City must be rejected if there is any decency left in Irvine.

Chicago Mayor Under Fire (What Else Is New?)

Hat tip Algemeiner

Brandon Johnson

The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, one of the most left-wing mayors in the country, is facing widespread criticism from the local Jewish community and beyond after his remarks in the wake of the shooting of an Orthodox Jewish man walking to a synagogue in Chicago last Saturday. Johnson failed to mention that the victim was Jewish, and all indications are that this was a hate crime not yet charged as such.*

While Johnson's statement in itself is not objectionable, it is recalled that after the horrific stabbing death of a 6-year-old Palestinian boy in October 2023, in Plainfield Township, Illinois, Johnson issued a statement and made a point of mentioning the boy's ethnicity and religion while referring to Islamophobia. That is what has many Jews in Chicago and elsewhere wondering why Johnson did not use this opportunity to condemn acts of anti-Semitic violence.

Is there a double standard here?

The alleged shooter, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi (22), is a young man from Mauritania, who when confronted by police, reportedly shouted, "Allahu Akhbar" while exchanging gunfire. It is also being reported by some media that he is in the country illegally, having entered last year, processed by immigration authorities, and released.

To be clear, both of the above attacks committed in Illinois in the past year are deplorable. Last October, there was widespread outrage at the horrific attacks by Hamas against innocent Israeli civilians of all ages and genders. That, however, could never justify murdering a 6-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois or anywhere else. By the same token, shooting a Jewish man in Chicago on his way to synagogue cannot be justified because one is angry at Israel's military response against Hamas and other terrorist groups attacking the Jewish state.

 Mayor Johnson should have enough sense to know that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly after last year's attack by Hamas, has spurred bad feelings on both sides here in the US. I don't have a problem with him using last year's murder to speak out against anti-Muslim feelings or Islamophobia though I have problems with that word itself. Why he did not use Saturday's shooting incident to condemn the wave of anti-Semitism sweeping the country is beyond me. One would think that the mayor of America's third-largest city would know enough to understand the sensitivities and what each incident represents.

*Update (11-2-2024)

Based on follow-up investigation by Chicago PD, hate crime charges have now been filed. This is based on evidence that the suspect specifically was targeting Jews,

Italy: Gang Rape in Turin

Hat tip Gates of Vienna

Parco Valentino, Turin

(Before the sun goes down and it's presumably safe)

 On October 15, a 27-year-old Peruvian woman was allegedly gang raped by a group of 5-6 suspects tentatively identified as North Africans. A 19-year-old Egyptian man is in custody after having been identified by the victim from a photo spread of mug shots. Another suspect identified by the victim is being sought, as well as those not yet identified.

The below article in Today Cronaca  (Italy) is translated by Fousesquawk.

Manhunt in Turin

Girl raped and abandoned unconscious and semi-nude in a park, turn in the case: There is an arrest

An Egyptian (19) in handcuffs, already known to law enforcement for previous minor arrests of drug dealing and theft. Now the other members of the pack are being sought.

Caption: The place where the presumed violence was committed in Turin.

There is an arrest for the rape of a 27-year-old Peruvian woman, raped on the premises of a former nightclub, closed to the public for some time, in Valentino Park in Turin on October 15. It was the (victim) who recognized his face, together with that of another man still being sought, after having identified (them) among the mug shots of an album of profiles of "previously convicted or dangerous subjects" in custody of the authorities.

Manhunt

The 19-year-old alleged perpetrator of the rape was arrested last Monday in the Giardini Sambuy zone of Porta Nuova by officers of the Railway Police. The boy was already known to law enforcement for minor crimes of drug dealing and theft. Today, the judge validated his arrest. The second suspect alleged to be responsible is being sought: He was also identified by the victim of the rape.

The robbery and chase

The girl was allegedly the victim of unspeakable violence. According to her story, after having drunk alcohol, she was approached by a young North African man on via Nizza, who reportedly asked for help in finding an (ATM) machine. The 27-year-old trusted his directions and began to follow him. "He led me toward Valentino Park," the girl reportedly told the investigators, "but before arriving, he took (my) cell phone from my hands". To get it back, the girl reportedly chased him to the ruins of the former discotheque in the heart of Valentino Park. Here, the nightmare occurred. At this point, another 5-6 North Africans arrived and surrounded the young woman pushing her down onto a mattress. Two of them allegedly raped her. 

The victim said she lost consciousness and woke up in another part of the park minus some of her clothes. She was then rescued and transported first to Molinette Hospital and then to Sant'Anna. The medical examinations confirmed sexual (contact). Now the other members of the pack are being hunted.

"Peoples' Tribunal" at Stanford

"Where should we put the Palestinian flag?"

Remember when we were kids and little girls would play house? That's what the pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses remind me of. At Stanford, the little rascals have convened a "Peoples' Tribunal", protesting the arrest of the "Stanford 13", where they even charged the hapless university president with complicity in the "genocide" they claim Israel is conducting against the Palestinian people. Naturally, Students for Justice in Palestine is at the center of the controversy.

The campus newspaper, the Stanford Daily, has the report.

I propose that Stanford enlarge the size of the "Stanford 13" to a three-digit number.

Brown University Suspends SJP

 Hat tip Campus Reform

Brown University in Rhode Island has joined the growing list of universities around the nation to take action against Students for Justice in Palestine. The SJP chapter has been suspended while Brown investigates its actions during a protest on October 18. Hopefully, the suspension will be made permanent.

Campus Reform has the story with a link to the campus newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald.

Netherlands: Pro-Palestinian Protester Throws Ammonia Bottle at Police

Dutch police are looking for a man who threw a bottle of ammonia at riot police last May 8 in Amsterdam during pro-Palestinian demonstration..They have the suspect on videotape throwing the bottle, but he is wearing a mask. Police are seeking the public's health in identifying the man. One officer had to be treated at the hospital for loss of vision while others experienced breathing problems or vomiting.

How despicable, but this is what we have come to expect from these pro-Hamas mobs.

The below article from De Telegraaf is translated by Fousesquawk. The article has a video of the incident, and we are in the process of providing English subtitles.

Ammonia thrower at pro-Palestinian protest still not arrested, bought bottle  nearby

Updated  yesterday 21:28, (Posted) yesterday at 21:37 in Domestic

Amsterdam- The police are still looking for the man who in May, during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amsterdam, threw a bottle with ammonia at a police riot unit. The bottle was believed to have been bought shortly before the protest at a nearby supermarket on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, according to Opsporing Verzocht (Investigation Requested).

During the protest in central Amsterdam, a police officer got the liquid in his face, and as a result, could not see. He was treated in the hospital. Other riot police received serious breathing problems or had to vomit.

Using the bottle, the police have determined where it could have come from. The investigation reveals that a half hour prior to the incident, 4 bottles were purchased at the Albert Heijn (supermarket) on the Nieuwzijds Voorburgwal opposite the Royal Palace. But police have not been able to determine who purchased the bottles. 

In Opsporing Verzocht, images were shown in which a man can be seen throwing the bottle from the crowd. They were earlier shared by police.

The incident was on May 8. Earlier in the day, there was a demonstration in and near buildings of the University of Amsterdam on the Binnengasthuis Grounds. When that finished, some of the demonstrators moved to the Rodin, where there was another clash with police.

UCLA Task Force Report on Anti-Semitism

No more fun and games

In February 2024, UCLA set up an anti-Semitism task force to study the problem of anti-Semitism on campus and make recommendations. That report has just been issued, and it is highly critical of how UCLA handled the post-October 7, 2023 developments. Campus Reform has the story.

After going through the report, I found only two references to Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). One was where it identified SJP, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and UC Divest as organizers of the spring pro-Palestinian campus encampment, while the other mentioned that SJP had called for an October 7, 2024 protest in which masks were required (in violation of campus regulations). Other than that, the report really fails to address who the perpetrators of campus anti-Semitism are. It does identify the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the main source of the anti-Semitism. The report also makes the requisite references to Islamophobia and anti-Muslim, anti-Arab bias, a separate issue. Among all the charts, the surveys, anecdotal testimonies of Jewish students, and shocking examples of anti-Jewish incidents on campus, including photos, the report fails to address the perpetrators.

And just who are the perpetrators? Clearly, they are pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel students, faculty, and outside agitators. They are not Nazis. Nor are they KKK or white nationalist types. They are largely, but not exclusively, Muslim students, including Palestinian students (some Palestinians are Christians, but most are Muslim). Are all Muslim students involved in this problem? No, but many are. In addition, the perpetrators have their leftist followers from other faiths, including some extremely misguided Jews (who have joined groups like SJP or JVP).

What about the role of the leftist National Lawyers Guild (NLG), who act as "legal observers" for the SJP rallies as well as their disruptions. A classic example of the "red-green" alliance, a marriage of convenience between Islamists and the extremist left in America. They participated in the UCLA encampment saga.

So I wonder how the recommendations will be implemented. Clearly, sensitivity training will not solve the problem. Strengthening enforcement measures will. What I suggest is this:

1 Ban Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) from the campus permanently.

2 Advise students in no uncertain terms that acts of anti-Semitism will not be tolerated. That includes vandalism, disruption of pro-Israel events, and physical or verbal intimidation of Jewish students. The penalty will be expulsion-not suspension-but expulsion. As for faculty who participate in unauthorized or illegal acts on campus in support of the above, they will be fired. An example would be any professor who was arrested at campus encampments, as occurred at some other universities.

3 If criminal acts are committed in the name of supporting Palestinians, the police will arrest and refer the cases to prosecutors.

4 Make it clear to all that the university will not divest or engage in any anti-Israel boycotts. Such resolutions to student governments are a waste of time.

5 Many university law schools have affiliations with the NLG. These should be discontinued.

I would hope that every UCLA student and professor read the report (with all its weaknesses). It appears that as yet, the Daily Bruin campus newspaper has not reported on the task force report, which is dated October 16. I have sent the link to the Daily Bruin in a comment to an article dealing with the campus conflict.