Jewish students and staff at UCLA face increased antisemitism: Report

JEWISH STUDENTS AND STAFF AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES WERE THREATENED, HARASSED AND SOMETIMES, ASSAULTED – ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE UCLA ANTISEMITISM TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE WAS ESTABLISHED BY UCLA’S INTERIM CHANCELLOR DARNELL HUNT IN FEBRUARY 2024.

THE TASK FORCE SURVEY 428 JEWISH AND ISRAELI MEMBERS OF THE UCLA COMMUNITY.

RESPONDENTS REPORTED EXPERIENCING AN UPTICK IN ANTISEMITISM AFTER HAMAS’ OCTOBER 7TH TERROR ATTACK.

40% OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION AT UCLA, WITH COMMENTS AND SLURS DIRECTED AT THEM, IN PERSON, ON CAMPUS. AND NEARLY ONE FIFTH OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED BEING PHYSICALLY THREATENED. THE REPORT STATES OVER 100 JEWISH PEOPLE REPORTED PHYSICAL THREATS OR ATTACKS AT UCLA.

SEVERAL RESPONDENTS ALSO NOTED GRAFFITI PLASTERED TO BUILDINGS – CALLING JEWS SLURS. SWASTIKAS WERE ALSO SPRAY PAINTED ON CAMPUS BUILDINGS, CHALKBOARDS AND SIDEWALKS.

JEWISH STUDENTS AND STAFF ALSO RECALLED A STATUE OF A PIG FEATURING A CLOCK WITH THE WORDS “TIME IS RUNNING OUT” HOLDING A BAG WITH A DOLLAR SIGN, WITH A JEWISH STAR, AND FLAMES AROUND THE WORDS “UC REGENTS.” THE REPORT STATES THE PIG STATUE WAS ALLOWED TO REMAIN ON CAMPUS FOR MORE THAN A WEEK.

AND WHEN A PRO-PALESTINIAN ENCAMPMENT POPPED UP ON CAMPUS, THE TASK FORCE SAYS THAT UCLA PRIORITIZED FREE SPEECH OVER ADDRESSING PROTESTERS, EVEN WHEN THEY VIOLATED SCHOOL RULES BY SETTING UP THE TENTS AND MAKING ANTISEMITIC REMARKS.

THE TASK FORCE SAYS JEWISH STUDENTS WERE BARRED FROM WALKING THROUGH THE ENCAMPMENT — ACROSS CAMPUS TO THEIR CLASSES OR DORM ROOMS – MAKING JEWISH STUDENTS FEEL UNSAFE AND UNCOMFORTABLE ON CAMPUS.

“IF IT WERE HATE DIRECTED AGAINST ANY OTHER MINORITY GROUP, THERE WOULD BE ZERO TOLERANCE. IT IS BECOMING NORMALIZED AT UCLA,” ONE RESPONDENT TOLD THE TASK FORCE.

NEARLY 60% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY ENDED UP SPENDING LESS TIME ON UCLA’S CAMPUS DURING THE WINTER AND SPRING BECAUSE OF ANTISEMITISM AND ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS.

IN MAY, THE PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTORS CLASHED WITH PRO-ISRAEL PROTESTERS IN A HEATED EXCHANGE ON CAMPUS THAT TURNED VIOLENT THAT LED TO BEATINGS AND PEOPLE BEING PEPPER SPRAYED.

UNIVERSITY POLICE MOVED IN TO DISMANTLE THE ENCAMPMENT – LEADING TO DOZENS OF PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS BEING ARRESTED.

IN AUGUST, A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THAT UCLA MUST GUARANTEE EQUAL CAMPUS ACCESS FOR JEWISH STUDENTS.

THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS UCLA MAKE AN EFFORT “TO MITIGATE HATRED, RACISM, DISCRIMINATION, AND ANTISEMITISM” BY PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OVERHAULING THE COMPLAINT AND REPORTING SYSTEM, AND ENFORCING RULES, LAWS AND POLICIES TO PROTECT JEWISH AND ISRAELI COMMUNITY MEMBERS.