I was not present at Thursday's daytime event. From my sources it was the usual activity around the "apartheid wall" and the usual dopey chants though reportedly there was no getting in anybody's faces. At the end of the chanting, the little rascals performed their daily prayers for the world to see.
There was reportedly some bickering between the IDF Reservists on Duty who were present and the pro-Palestinians and a complaint of some sort that some Reservists' bags and posters were moved around to the Palestinian side of the wall. (Their safe spaces.)
All in all, things were calmer than the previous day.
Interesting question: Why is it that the space reserved for these pro-Palestinian events is under the name of Alkalima (the name of an MSU publication) as opposed to SJP or MSU. Both of these organizations are claiming sponsorship of the week of events on their websites. SJP, of course, is on UCI probation for two years as a result of their disruption of a pro-Israel event last May.
Tonight, the College Republicans have invited the Reservists to their (CR's) meeting. I cannot attend but I know the CR's have announced strict rules for audience conduct.
I was at the event tonight. Police and members of administration were at the door waiting in case anything happens. However midway through the event, to no surprise, it was interrupted... The protesters were asked to leave and protested outside the door for the duration of the panel. The live stream of the event is available on the SSI UCI Facebook page.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It is my hope that the cops ID'd those who disrupted and will do the appropriate investigation if others were involved.
ReplyDeleteWe also need to get people to write letters to UCI and complain about this. This is the 3rd straight year this has happened. Don't forget that Chancellor Howard Gillman and Erwin Chemerinsky wrote The Book on Free Speech. Those whose own rights were violated need to officially complain.
Im not sure if you are aware but when a pro-Israel event was held on campus the week before Anti-Zionism Week that event was also disrupted. The event was called UC Israel and to be honest it was almost entirely a cultural event, and had almost nothing to do with politics. UC Israel had a booth on outer ring road for three days and each day SJP came with signs and surrounded the booth with their signs just standing in the middle of ring road. If anyone does complain bring this up as well. I know I want to make a complaint to the administration...
ReplyDeleteI heard about it. On at least one day, they were confronted with these boobs holding signs.
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