SJP at UC Irvine Back in Hot Water

This just came to my attention today. The UC Irvine (UCI) chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is involved in yet another campus controversy. On October 10, UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman issued a statement in condemnation of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. That was the day, the butchers of Hamas massacred some 1,200+ people, beheaded babies and burned them alive in ovens, raped women, and kidnapped men, women, and children into Gaza. Reading Gillman's statement, it struck me as pretty mild considering the atrocities involved. Maybe he wasn't aware of the full scope of what Hamas did when he issued the statement.

But the statement upset the sensitive feelings of SJP. They issued their own statement accusing the University of California (UC) of being "a land-grabbing, racist institution" with huge assets in Black Rock. In addition, the university was accused of financial dealings with Black Stone. (There was no mention of Black Pebble.) I fail to see the connection, but in the interest of full disclosure, when I was a kid, my parents purchased stock for me with Standard Oil of New Jersey-but I have long since sold it. 

Additionally, it seems that on November 9, SJP was involved in some sort of campus "Shut it down" activity over the Israeli-Hamas war. This allegedly violated the campus code of conduct according to UCI's administration. In addition, SJP members were allegedly involved in what is being called a disruption of a presentation by Professor Alon Burstein, a UCI Jewish Studies professor on November14.

In response, SJP and their supporters are accusing the university of being unfair. 

I should note that I was not present at any of the events in question, so I don't know what happened or didn't happen. All I know is SJP's history, both on the UCI campus and on other campuses across the nation. Disruption is their tactic. Whether they engaged in that on November 9 or 14 at UCI, I cannot say, but I will be looking into it. At this point, it appears that about 5 members of SJP are under some sort of administration inquiry at UCI and the organization may face some sort of disciplinary action by the university.

But there is good news for the UCI-SJP. They are receiving support from something called the World Socialist Web Site, which tells you all you need to know about those folks. The above link provides what is reportedly the charged violations of SJP in this instance. (I don't know if this is accurate, includes all or less than the total charges.)

"102.16 Failure to Comply, “Failure to identify oneself to, or comply with the directions of, a University official or other public official acting in the performance of his or her duties while on University property or at official University functions; or resisting or obstructing such University or other public officials in the performance of or the attempt to perform their duties.”

102.14 Disorderly or Lewd Conduct, and 102.13 Disruption which includes, “Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other University activities.”

Pending further information, I will close with this observation: If SJP or anyone else wants to march around campus to make their point, that is their right. If that's all they did on November 9 with their "shut it down" event, there should be no problem. If they disrupted the business of the school or classes, that is something else. Again, I don't know what happened. As for the presentation of Professor Burstein on November 14, if SJP or anyone else came to listen without disrupting and then asked questions during the q and a, no problem. If there was disruption of the event, which took away Burstein's right to speak or the ability of the audience to hear what he had to say, that is different. 

I regret that I missed this story when it happened, but I will follow up and get more information. 

*Update: 12-10-23

I just spoke to someone who was at the Burstein event on November 14. My source tells me that at the start of the event, the audience was given the ground rules for q and a, and that any disruption would be met with disciplinary action. During the q and a, at least three people stood up and read pro-Palestinian statements for a few minutes (less than 10) from their cell phones. Eventually, campus police came in and the protesters left. My source stated his/her opinion that it was a disruption, and it was met with an angry reaction from the audience.

As for the November 9 event, in which my source was not present, according to a (second-hand) source, the pro-Palestinian protesters chanted their usual chants then marched around Ring Road, which goes in a circle around the campus. There was reportedly shouting and chanting outside classrooms, which would be considered, at least to some, as a disruption.