Jewish students and staffers were routinely assaulted, threatened and harassed as anti-Israel protests erupted on campus at the University of California, Los Angeles, according to the school’s antisemitism task force.
The group’s new 93-page report found that as protests over the war in Gaza broke out in UCLA, public displays of antisemitism ran rampant in the school, from a swastika being drawn in a classroom chalkboard to a sign being waved at an encampment that read: “Israelis are Native 2 HELL,” the Wall Street Journal first reported.
Officials also found a disturbing sculpture of a pig in March holding a bag of money beside a Star of David with a clock hanging above its head that read, “Time is Running out.”
“This report provides new evidence, assessment, and recommendations pertinent to the recent rise of antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias at UCLA,” the task force wrote.
“It is vital that the University address these matters in a timely manner to prevent attrition of Jews and Israelis from UCLA and to mitigate discrimination and antisemitism on campus.”
One of the 428 people who spoke with the task force recalled an incident where he was assaulted by a protester on campus for wearing an Israeli flag during the demonstrations.
“Some of the people there were praising Hamas who’s [sic] main goal (also stated in their charter) is to kill Jews. I was told to kill myself from people,” he said.
The student and others said the demonstrations ultimately barred them from getting to their classes, a tactic that was ruled unlawful by a judge in August who slammed the so-called “Jew Exclusion Zone” on campus.
The report also highlighted the violent clash that occurred on campus on the night of April 30, where agitators stormed the protesters’ encampment, which led to bloody brawls and firecrackers being tossed at the demonstrators.
The task force alleged that the chaos that broke out that night was a result of the “UCLA administration demonstrated a reluctance to take action against those in the encampment unless violence erupted.”
The report ultimately slammed the school and administration for prioritizing its views on Freedom of Speech over the safety and wellbeing of students and staff.
UCLA officials told The Post that Darnell Hunt, the school’s interim chancellor who created the antisemitism task force in February, has received the report and is thankful for the months-long work.
“He is carefully reviewing the report and its recommendations to determine the best ways for UCLA to strengthen our ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and protect the well-being of the entire Bruin community,” the school said.
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