The latest at Berkeley — see how the fight against antisemitism is going
May 10, 2024
Berkeley is still suffering from the antisemitism problems we have exposed again and again. At Berkeley:
The UC Berkeley Divestment Coalition established a Free Palestine Encampment on the Mario Savio Steps in front of Sproul Hall, joining thousands of students from universities nationwide.
Camping out for antisemitism is quite the thing this spring at campuses across the country.
There’s more to it than just this:
Community groups are calling on the federal government to investigate alleged racism and Islamophobia in Berkeley Unified Schools.
A formal complaint filed on this Wednesday outlines incidents of alleged discrimination against Arab and Muslim students.
This is known as “getting the retaliation in first”, obviously. But that it’s spread to the K-12 district as well shows it’s not just the campus.
What does make Berkeley different is the episode of the student at the professor’s house. The Dean of the Law School insists that free speech is free speech – he’s aware of that First Amendment. He defends the right of protestors to say what they wish to say – that’s what free speech means. So do we so defend – as we also defend the right to say back and to change opinions and treatment of people for what they say. That’s also free speech.
The University of California at Berkeley has long been known as a hub of social activism, and Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of its law school since 2017 and a renowned constitutional law expert, has been a staunch proponent of the First Amendment rights of protesters. Earlier this week Chemerinsky, who is Jewish, was the subject of posters depicting a caricature of him that he later said he believed to be “deeply offensive” and “blatant antisemitism” but that he also believed had a right to be displayed as protected speech.
It is good and upstanding that a man protects constitutional rights even when they’re aimed at him.
What makes this Berkeley issue different is what happened at a meeting at the Dean’s house. That is, obviously, private property and those rights of free speech don’t quite apply there. Something that would be lawyers, like the students of the Law School, should know:
On April 9, Afaneh stood up with a wireless microphone she brought and began making a speech about the war in Gaza and the holiday of Ramadan at the home of law professor Catherine Fisk and law school dean Erwin Chemerinsky. In a video that went viral online, Fisk is seen trying to grab Afaneh’s microphone and cell phone and wrapping her arm around Afaneh’s shoulder while repeatedly telling her to leave.
Fisk and Chemerinsky were hosting an invitation-only dinner for third-year law students in their backyard. Afaneh, a graduating law student, was a guest.
The Berkeley response to someone limiting what guest may say in their own home?
UC Berkeley has opened an investigation into whether a confrontation over a Gaza protest speech during a dinner party at the home of two law school professors amounted to discrimination and abuse.
The investigation stems from an April 9, invitation-only dinner for graduate students hosted at the home of Dean of Berkeley Law Erwin Chemerinsky, who is Jewish, and his wife, Professor Catherine Fisk.
Suggesting your guest don’t be impolite at a dinner in your own home is now a potential crime open to legal investigation.
Accuracy in Media previously took action against Berkeley Law students whose groups banned all speakers who support Zionism, essentially creating Jew-free zones on campus. For its 2024 commencement, AIM sent a billboard back to draw attention to antisemitism on campus displaying our action alert at BerkeleyBansJews.com.
Join us our fight against antisemitism at Berkeley – click here to send a message to their board.