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Open Forum on the Pro-Palestine Encampment on the UCD Quad

598f7067-85aa-4d13-8b6b-0aab5b7ef1c9I went to two Seders this year.  At the first one, no one mentioned the Israel-Gaza war.  It did seem a bit the elephant in the room.  Just before the second Seder, I received an email from the host, referencing an online blog essay by author Ilana DeBare.  It suggested:

I suggest opening up your seder to discussion, not just readings. Ask guests—in advance so they have time to consider—to bring their own thoughts and feelings about Passover and this war, and suggest that they come with open ears and an open heart. Let down the defensive walls that we’ve been carrying for months. At the Seder table, we can hopefully feel safe and able to listen to others, even if their views are different from our own.

So in that spirit, I'm inviting the citizens of Davis to express their thoughts about the encampment on the Quad on the UC Davis campus.  While y'all are hashing this out, I'll be in the kitchen eating gefilte fish.

 

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Alan C. Miller

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85 responses to “Open Forum on the Pro-Palestine Encampment on the UCD Quad”

  1. Tuvia ben Olam DBA Todd Edelman

    https://www.kcra.com/article/uc-davis-pro-palestinian-encampment/60704287#
    Just for fun. I’m starting with this link to a KCRA story…. What are these signs that they can’t share on TV?

    Reply
  2. Tuvia, etc.

    Why is the subject of the encampment in quotes?

    Reply
  3. Tuvia, etc

    https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-27/lapd-ties-to-foreign-departments-comes-under-scrutiny
    Speaking more broadly of the University of California. It’s clear that Chancellor may has spoken with the chancellor of UCLA. About the attack on the encampment at UCLA, my educated guess is that it’s something like the following:
    * Zionists and Israel government supporters who are part of the UCLA campus community – and thus are familiar with pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist activists there – enlisted the help of a mixture of friends and mercenaries to attack the encampment at the campus of the Bruins. They informed LAPD that they would be doing this and the cops modified their response – their acquiescence and more due to the relationship mentioned in the link above.
    Fortunately, and for multiple reasons it doesn’t seem like something like this will happen at UC Davis.

    Reply
  4. Colin Walsh

    This article is in the Davis Enterprise
    https://www.davisenterprise.com/townnews/university/gaza-backers-set-up-encampment-on-ucd-quad/article_f4b09792-0c06-11ef-8395-3f813fd55dce.html?utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2QQlgdYg0C4kwT7hvfSkfFHLMfdAQClk2VofaUJXRXZ-4tVj4OOLku-yU_aem_AQXckyY9p-zKb8I11Kj6xWqL3RwX0x4to2d_2syH5LQCVKzaxzSO0sM2YrrTQzZqE-esWZ5aq_OBXDxelP3N1ypw

    Reply
  5. Roberta Millstein

    A few quick comments:
    I defend the right of students to protest and would oppose any heavy handed, armed, riot gear, etc means of controlling them. So far Gary May seems to be handling that part well.
    Supporting their right to protest, though, doesn’t mean I agree with what they are protesting for. And a lot of people insist that the protests are not anti semitic. Well, if you oppose everything “Zionist” and want that off campus, and many students are Zionist in the mere sense of supporting the existence of the State of Israel… well, things can be anti semitic in effect even if not in intent (and that is being generous).
    The protesters ask for “Total Academic and Cultural Boycott,” but what does that include? Does it include, e.g., the student organization Hillel, which serves as a home for many Jewish students on campus? The UCSC protest is including Hillel.
    Finally, I notice they mention the bombing of Rafah without mentioning the bombs that came from Rafah just yesterday, killing three Israelis. Hamas is deliberately provoking Israel, and Israel deliberately provokes Hamas. There are no good peace loving rulers in this conflict, just rulers who want bloodshed of their own people as well as people on the other side.

    Reply
  6. Donna Lemongello

    Protesting atrocities on both sides. No one thinks Hamas can just do what they do, horrendous, but to slaughter the Palestinian people in response, not Ok either. 2 wrongs do not make a right. Peaceful protest is in order,though I doubt very effective, unfortunately.

    Reply
  7. Colin Walsh

    Personally I place a high value on separation of church and state. We can see what the MAGA drive for Christian nationalism looks like here in the US. Religious based states are inherently intolerant of other viewpoints. There are countless historical examples from several different religions.
    So what I would like to know is this, is Zionism inherently a movement for a religious state?

    Reply
  8. Keith

    “We can see what the MAGA drive for Christian nationalism looks like here in the US. Religious based states are inherently intolerant of other viewpoints.”
    Are those on the left tolerant of other viewpoints?
    “So what I would like to know is this, is Zionism inherently a movement for a religious state?”
    Is Islamism inherently a movement for an Islamic state?

    Reply
  9. Keith

    How many of these squatters at the Quad are actually UCD students? How many are outsiders, non students? Professional agitators? Antifa? How many are actually U.S. citizens? How many are here on student visas?
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/…/professional-protester…

    Reply
  10. Alan C. Miller

    TE say: “Why is the subject of the encampment in quotes?”
    Good point. At the time I wrote that I wasn’t sure if the “true” purpose of the encampment was known, or if that is how it “should” be described, so I put that in “quotes”. Seems anything one writes, the wording may be scrutinized by party or another. Having gone by and seeing a pretty consistent message posted around the camp, I will remove the quotes as per your query.

    Reply
  11. colin walsh

    Keith
    “Are those on the left tolerant of other viewpoints?”
    There are certainly those on the left that are intolerant of others’ viewpoints – many of them have a sign in their yard that says “Davis is for everyone.” People on the left can be some self righteous jerks, but the left in the US is not trying to regulate women’s bodies, telling people they can only live in a narrow gender binary, or that they are from an inferior race. you might say there is “I don’t like you” intolerance, and there is “you can not continue to exist” intolerance.
    “Is Islamism inherently a movement for an Islamic state?”
    as I said – “There are countless historical examples from several different religions.”
    “how many are U.S. citizens? How many are here on student visas?”
    Students here from other countries are much less likely to join a protest like this because the stakes are way to high for them because they could be sent back to their country of origin. Also, their home countries may not tolerate free speech and public protest the same way the US does, so some are more hesitant to take part in demonstrations.
    I think you will also find that those protesting at UCD are mostly if not all UCD students faculty and staff. I will go by later today and check their IDs for you so you can rest easier.

    Reply
  12. Ron O

    People on the left can be some self righteous jerks, but the left in the US is not trying to regulate women’s bodies, telling people they can only live in a narrow gender binary, or that they are from an inferior race. you might say there is “I don’t like you” intolerance, and there is “you can not continue to exist” intolerance.
    I don’t believe that’s an accurate representation of either side.
    Personally, I don’t mind protests as long as they pay for the damage they cause (e.g., to campus buildings), and the police actions that are required to remove them from bridges, roads, etc.
    In the case of students, perhaps they should also offer to pay for university “dis-investment” from Israel (e.g., in the form of higher student fees as needed). I’d personally respect that.
    The government sometimes charges people for their own rescue from situations in which they’ve exposed themselves to danger, and that’s when they do so by ACCIDENT (e.g., rescues from wilderness areas, etc.).
    Why doesn’t the government routinely charge protestors for the cost of removing them from dangerous situations (which also affect others) when they do so on PURPOSE? Not to mention the damage they purposefully cause.
    This is not about regulating speech itself. It’s about other actions which have nothing to do with speech.
    And lately, this is an issue primarily caused by the “left”. That is, they’re saying it’s society’s responsibility to pay for purposeful illegal activity (rather than the ones who are engaging in it). (Actually, one might say that they hold that position regarding all crime – that it’s not the responsibility of those committing it.)

    Reply
  13. Ron O

    Students here from other countries are much less likely to join a protest like this because the stakes are way to high for them because they could be sent back to their country of origin. Also, their home countries may not tolerate free speech and public protest the same way the US does, so some are more hesitant to take part in demonstrations.”
    Plus, at least some of them actually PAY FOR their full cost to attend the university.
    My general impression of them is that they’re less-demanding (less “privileged”?) than students from the U.S.
    Partly as a result of a very different culture, as well.
    And come from a system that is becoming more successful in educating students (at least prior to college, so far). There will likely come a point at which their own universities will be superior to those in the U.S. – at which point, they won’t be seeking to attend U.S. universities.
    Not so concerned about fake social issues, overall. More concerned about gaining employable skills, etc. (Also a reason that Silicon Valley sponsors non-resident employees.)
    I doubt that many of them are working for Spafford and Lincoln, to boot. Or going after you or other slow-growthers, in regard to development campaigns (e.g., Nishi).

    Reply
  14. Keith

    ” I will go by later today and check their IDs for you so you can rest easier.”
    Oh, thanks loads Colin for doing this. Check their visa’s too while you’re at it. Take lots of pics. Report your results back to everyone tomorrow.

    Reply
  15. Keith

    “I think you will also find that those protesting at UCD are mostly if not all UCD students faculty and staff.”
    Here’s an article about the protesters who were arrested at UC San Diego:
    “The UC San Diego Police later reported 64 arrests. Of those, 40 were students and ’24 were unaffiliated’ or their status was unknown.”
    https://timesofsandiego.com/education/2024/05/06/police-clear-pro-palestine-encampment-at-uc-san-diego-arrest-dozens-of-protesters/

    Reply
  16. Keith

    Here’s more proof that outside agitators are instigating much of the ruckus on campuses across the country:
    “New York City officials said that a significant number of people arrested this week at campus demonstrations were not affiliated with the schools. Nearly 30% of the people arrested at Columbia were unaffiliated with the university and 60% of the arrests at City College involved people who weren’t affiliated with that school, the mayor said.”
    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/campus-protests-live-updates-police-ucla-encampment-rcna150340#

    Reply
  17. Alan C. Miller

    KO say: “Take lots of pics”
    . . . of all the masked people.
    Update: the 3′ black perimeter fence has been replaced with a 6′ white perimeter fence, obscuring the encampment completely except from above. The footprint has about doubled as well; I’d estimate it is taking up about 20% of the Quad now, radiating out from the center (Centennial Circle).

    Reply
  18. Colin Walsh

    Keith –
    The fact that 2 Universities in major metropolitan areas had several unaffiliated people arrested at the demonstrations on their campuses does not in anyway translate to a similar proportion of protesters overall and definitely doesn’t directly translate to UC Davis.
    At demonstrations like this, the people arrested usually do so with intention. The police will announce repeatedly that arrests are about to start and only those that are prepared to “take an arrest” will stay as others leave.
    Students are way less likely to stay, because they have more to lose if arrested on their own campus – they can be kicked out of their University in addition to facing legal charges. The legal charges are usually mild if the protest is non violent which makes the academic consequences much worse.

    Reply
  19. Alan C. Miller

    CW ask: “So what I would like to know is this, is Zionism inherently a movement for a religious state? ”
    Zionism is the desire for a Jewish homeland. A “Zionist” is someone who believes in that. Zionism, to many Jews, is a word of hope of return. But the word “Zionist” today, as expressed by those using “anti-Zionist” rhetoric, is often given a similar tone to the word “Cockroach”, when such is found in one’s morning Wheaties.
    Zionism isn’t inherently religious, but can be when pursued from a religious viewpoint and fervor, especially orthodox where God “promises” the land to the Jews. This leads to actions like the taking of the West Bank. Also not helping are Israeli real estate agents.
    Jews, however, are a people, not a religion. They are the remnants of the civilization that existed there thousands of years ago, and largely but not completely expelled. Most Jews practiced the associated faith, but many do not now. If you are a Christian who decides not to believe in Christianity, you are no longer a Christian, and that goes for most faiths. But a Jew who stops believing in God or practicing the associated religion is still a Jew. Religious Jews, Atheist Jews, and even Nazis wishing to exterminate Jews agree on this point.
    The Jewish people are a small population. 15 million worldwide, and half of those in Israel, the homeland for all Jews. Meanwhile, there are 1.8 billion Muslims (so Jews are less than 1% in world population relative to Muslims) and 48-58 Muslim states in the United Nations, depending on how you define a Muslim state, to the singular Jewish homeland. Possibly a major factor when Israel doesn’t do well at a UN vote where it’s one country, one vote.
    Huge numbers of Jews were forced out or fled many Muslim-dominated Middle East nations and even parts of Africa for Israel in and around 1948. Thus around half of Jews in Israel are not ‘white appearing’ or from European countries. Some, such as the Lemba, would ‘appear’ as ‘black’ to most Americans.
    I’m sure I didn’t get all of that completely correct and there is much more more history there . . . while others may simply disagree with parts of it. Have at it.

    Reply
  20. Ron O

    “Zionism is the desire for a Jewish homeland.”
    “Jews, however, are a people, not a religion.”
    Is there any such thing as a “homeland” for a particular (race?) of people, these days?
    (Though I suppose one might note that China, for example, almost exclusively consists of Chinese people.)

    Reply
  21. Alan C. Miller

    “Is there any such thing as a “homeland” for a particular (race?) of people, these days?”
    Hmmm . . . Japan also comes to mind 😐
    There is an interesting book called “The Japanese and the Jews” about a small cluster of Jews that settled in Japan.
    Also I met a Jew at Sierra Hot Springs with a heavy Scottish accent. He explained that a boat of refugee Jews fleeing eastern Europe thought they were on a boat for America, but ended up in Edinburgh. Most of them decided to stay and there is now a Jewish enclave in that city descended largely from this group.

    Reply
  22. Ron O

    He explained that a boat of refugee Jews fleeing eastern Europe thought they were on a boat for America, but ended up in Edinburgh.
    Reminds me of the reason that (American) “Indians” are named as such.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VyfP0AkQbw&t=12s

    Reply
  23. South of Davis

    Alan wrote:

    He explained that a boat of refugee Jews fleeing eastern Europe thought
    they were on a boat for America, but ended up in Edinburg.
    When I was in Ireland in the 70’s I remember being surprised to hear that the mayor of Cork was Jewish since the country was probably more Catholic than Israel was Jewish at the time (Ireland is now WAY less Catholic than Israel is Jewish).
    P.S. Most people voting for a guy names Gerald Yael Goldberg probably knew he was Jewish (I’ve never met a Catholic with the middle name Yael or the last name Goldberg)…
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Goldberg#:~:text=Gerald%20Yael%20Goldberg%20(12%20April,Jewish%20Lord%20Mayor%20of%20Cork.

    Reply
  24. Marijane O.

    “Is Islamism inherently a movement for an Islamic state?”
    Has nobody in Davis, on or off campus, read or even glanced at the HAMAS 1988 charter? I’ve copied out articles 7 and 13 and will post them if anyone is interested. Or you can look it up here:
    https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp
    Marijane O.

    Reply
  25. R Keller

    Has anyone seen an official list of the UC Davis encampment demands? The UC Santa Cruz encampment has published theirs, and….let’s just say some of them are “interesting”. The ones I list below say essentially terrorism against Israeli civilians doesn’t exist; Israel shouldn’t exist; and countries, police, and prisons shouldn’t exist either.
    From the “Political Points of Unity” section at the end of the UCSC SJP – Gaza Solidarity Encampment (Students for Justice in Palestine at University of California, Santa Cruz) document:
    #2: “We support the right of Palestinians and the Palestinian resistance to oppose zionist domination by any means necessary. We reject the false accusations of ‘terrorism’ which seeks to villainize the Palestinian resistance and obscure the root of the violence, the zionist occupation.”
    #4: “We assert that the state of “israel” is a settler colonial apartheid state and imperial outpost for the West that is genocidal both in intent and effect, and thus assert it has no right to exist.”
    #12: “We assert that all forms of state policing, prisons, and borders must be abolished.”
    From: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19oiZG9H7mBC4YJECGXKscrc0Rtni8ztgfe5KKWTRLuQ/edit

    Reply
  26. Alan C. Miller

    RK, a picture of the UCD encampment demand can be found here in this article:
    https://www.capradio.org/articles/2024/05/10/uc-davis-pro-palestinian-encampment-continues-demonstrators-call-for-specific-changes-from-chancellor/
    If what you are reporting is true of UCSC demands, there seems to be a lot of Jew Hatred going on there. The UCD encampment demands are tame on the Jew Hatred front, and so far the encampment has been pretty darn peaceful. The giant banner placed in front of the encampment by pro-Israel Jewish persons (with names of hostages held by Hamas, etc.) remains in place and not even defaced last I looked.
    I hope the Davis scene remains this way. I am quite disturbed by what you are reporting on the Santa Cruz demands. I always want to ask when people say stuff like ““We assert that the state of “israel” is a settler colonial apartheid state . . . and thus assert it has no right to exist.” –> what would YOU do with the 7 million Jews currently living there?

    Reply
  27. Ron O

    In reading the document that Rik provided, I noticed the following as well. Similar statement posted more than once (including under the “agreement”):
    We have designated media representatives and spokespersons. Do not speak to any press for interviews – all media requests and material should be redirected to them.
    So my question is, do you get “kicked out” of the public space if you violate this agreement (or any of the other “agreements”) And does their “security team” (also mentioned in the document) enforce that?

    Reply
  28. Alan C. Miller

    RO ask, ” do you get “kicked out” of the public space if you violate this agreement (or any of the other “agreements”) And does their “security team” (also mentioned in the document) enforce that? ”
    RO, here’s an answer to your question from UCLA. This vid is extremely entertaining, disturbing, darkly humorous and informative. Black guy tries to walk through the encampment and points out that white people with masks are stopping a black guy from moving through freely.
    Anti Israel Protesters at UCLA assaulted me for the first time
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LIXaGauOjE&list=PL7FD7bE8ZANG-05Qrj2Qw7SkiN7ciFv97&index=77

    Reply
  29. Ron O

    America itself was a “settler colony”.
    Does America have a right to exist? Some are still trying to give land back to the descendants of the original human inhabitants, despite the fact that they no longer live as they once did. And are Americans, themselves.
    Interestingly-enough, they never try to give back places like Manhattan or San Francisco. It’s always public land that’s proposed to be sacrificed (belonging to all Americans, including descendants of the original human inhabitants).
    I’d ask the same question regarding Mexico – does it have a right to exist? Weren’t the original inhabitants Incas/Aztecs/Mayans? (Admittedly, I don’t know the details of that. But I suspect that they were ALSO fighting between themselves, just as many Native American tribes did.)
    For that matter, this question could probably be asked for many other countries (worldwide).

    Reply
  30. R Keller

    ACM: I’ve seen that poster with the demands from the UC Davis camp. I wonder if there is a more formal document like the one I Iinked to from UCSC?
    One thing they both share is a demand to “cancel Koret”. The UCSC group also wants to abolish Hillel from campus. I haven’t seen that specific demand from the UCD group.
    As far as the former, that article you linked to states:
    “Another demand is an end to the Davis Koret program, which includes a veterinary exchange program in Israel.
    Stanford McConnehey is a third year law school student. He said calls to end the Koret program are not meant to target the cultural activities of Jewish students.
    “Traveling to a settler-colonial state is not a cultural practice and we’re very clear in our stance here that we don’t want to normalize the existence of settler-colonial occupation, apartheid and genocide,” McConnehey said.”
    Here’s what the Koret Foundation does in terms of its funding at UCD:
    “Since then gifts from the Koret Foundation have helped 58 faculty, scientists and Israeli residents from Hebrew University in Jerusalem (HUJ) participate in academic exchanges at UC Davis. Today, HUJ’s school of veterinary medicine is considered a dynamic leader in the region and beyond.
    In addition to this, the Koret Foundation has made donations during The Campaign for UC Davis to support the Center for Companion Animal Health and made $1 million gift to name the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. The program is the first of its kind in the U.S. because it distinguishes shelter medicine as a specialty for veterinarians. It has led the way nationally, influencing the formation of programs at other veterinary schools, establishing new clinical guidelines for shelters, and spearheading the development of shelter medicine as a specialty now recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association.”
    from: https://giving.ucdavis.edu/impacts-giving/helping-animals-and-veterinary-health-thrive
    The vet school at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is named the “Koret School of Veterinary Medicine” now.
    Interestingly, the university has a lot of Palestinian students and has received criticism from some quarters for being too anti-Israeli itself:
    https://www.jns.org/israel-news/hebrew-university-of-jerusalem/23/8/29/314288/
    I can’t pretend to be able to sort this out, but the demands at many of the encampments seem to be targeting any Jewish cultural groups and foundations on campuses regardless of the lack of actual connection to the war in Gaza.

    Reply
  31. Roberta L. Millstein

    Rik, thanks for looking into Koret. I didn’t know anything about them before. It seems like a really puzzling target — the only one that the UCD protesters call out by name — unless the objection is just to anything connected to Israel or Jews.
    At some universities, I have seen calls for faculty to stop collaborating with, being in conferences with, having exchanges with, etc., faculty in Israeli universities. I don’t know if that is something the UCD protesters are calling for.
    As I said above, the fact that some schools (UCD too? I would like to know) are calling for Hillel to be kicked off campus is among the most disturbing. It is an organization for Jewish students, not an Israeli organization. Some members may be in favor of the existence of the state of Israel, some not. So should any organization which has some percentage of members in favor of the state of Israel be kicked off campus, according to some? That will in effect kick off any organization that has a large percentage of Jewish students — so, anti-semitic in effect even if not anti-semitic in intent, as I said above.
    ACM, that video you posted from ACLU is highly disturbing. The protesters have a right to protest, but they do not control the public space and there should be free passage through it.

    Reply
  32. Ron O

    Regarding the video, just wanted to say hi to “bro”. (He must have said that about 100 times, while also making threatening comments himself.)
    These types of confrontations are ultimately a justification for shutting down protests. It’s no longer about free speech, and is just plain dangerous. Universities are not equipped to provide protection for either side (from the other), and it’s not their obligation to do so in the first place.
    Same thing regarding protestors defacing art, shutting down roadways, bridges, etc. Regardless of the issue. It all ultimately leads to confrontations, as well.

    Reply
  33. R Keller

    In this long and heavily footnoted (110!) article, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) provides ample evidence that “In the days following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel, the national leadership of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and many of the organization’s campus chapters explicitly endorsed the actions of Hamas and their armed attacks on Israeli civilians and voiced an increasingly radical call for confronting and “dismantling” Zionism on U.S. college campuses. Some SJP chapters issued pro-Hamas messaging and/or promoted violent anti-Israel messaging channels… Numerous SJP chapters released inflammatory statements in support of Palestinians seizing control of Israeli territory, including some which explicitly endorse the use of violence and attacks on civilians.“
    https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/students-justice-palestine-sjp
    In looking at the history of this messaging, the ADL article specifically mentions the UC Davis branch of SJP for calling for the elimination of Israel in the final paragraph of this letter published in the Aggie in 2018: “Lastly, it is an ideological fantasy to really believe that progress is possible so long as the state of Israel exists.”
    https://theaggie.org/2018/07/06/students-for-justice-in-palestine-kill-and-expect-love/

    Reply
  34. Roberta L. Millstein

    Here’s a question… why is the WEF flying a Palestinian flag but tells a person with an Israeli flag to go off in a corner?
    Sorry, I think you have to have Instagram to see this: https://www.instagram.com/p/C62IIPCPPko/

    Reply
  35. Keith

    “Here’s a question… why is the WEF flying a Palestinian flag but tells a person with an Israeli flag to go off in a corner?”
    And why does the person n the video have any authority to tell someone they have to go to the corner?

    Reply
  36. Keith

    I have another question. Are people upset that the Festival had to be moved off the Quad do to the protesters encampment?

    Reply
  37. R Keller

    WTF WEF?!
    From that IG video:
    – “Whole” Earth Festival “safety” patrol person: “Because this is discourse that should not be happening at our festival.”
    – Person videoing while apparently holding an Israeli flag: “Why do you have a Palestinian flag up?”
    – WEF Rep: “Because that’s what we chose [to do?] at the festival.”

    Reply
  38. Ron O

    Roberta: In response to your question, the reason for that is because some students (and probably professors) don’t understand what “free speech” in a public space means anymore.
    For that matter, the local (city) librarian doesn’t seem to grasp the concept, either. (And I have yet to hear an apology, clarification, or corrective actions from library officials.) Probably some on the council have trouble with the concept, as well. Not to mention a whole lot of other citizens, who think (for example) that “hate speech” (as they define it) is illegal.
    And it’s no wonder, since the ACLU also seems to promote inconsistent views regarding this, as well.
    Having said that, it seems that the guy’s purpose in the video was to provoke. Which is also allowed (by law) in this manner.

    Reply
  39. Keith

    I have to wonder if the WEF official(?) would’ve made someone carrying the American flag also go off to the corner?

    Reply
  40. RK

    ACM said ” I am quite disturbed by what you are reporting on the Santa Cruz demands. I always want to ask when people say stuff like ““We assert that the state of “israel” is a settler colonial apartheid state . . . and thus assert it has no right to exist.” –> what would YOU do with the 7 million Jews currently living there?”
    I found the UC Davis Popular University for the Liberation of Palestine (PULP) demands here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxbRyBcujHEK34d3rlGLph2QKJV3VTXWn5__l2MaLizSDKxw/viewform?pli=1
    Unlike the 2018 letter published in the Aggie by the UCD Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), this document doesn’t explicitly call for the elimination of the state of Israel. But it does use the same language you warned about: “Israeli apartheid, military occupation, settler-colonialism, and genocide.”
    In November 2023 a SJP branch group calling themselves “UC Davis Graduate, Medical, Veterinary and Law Students for Justice in Palestine” published a document with more incendiary accusations and demands: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17oHxt1CE7ZVc1uc2HP3Ww_eGwENev2LcCnAqaILeC90/edit
    This letter does explicitly call for the elimination of Israel: “Demand an end to 75 years of Israeli settler colonialism”.
    It also has some strong claims about the UC system and UC Davis: “The University of California was founded on settler colonial theft and racialized violence, and profits off it. Profits that are reinvested in anti-Black policing, war research, and genocide. The UC protects its colonial investments on Mauna Kea (Kanaka Maoli land, Hawai’i) through force. The UC treats Arab, Black, Brown, Indigenous, undocumented, poor, working class, disabled, houseless students as colonial subjects to be subdued. It does not hesitate to channel police expertise and violence against students when it deems them domestic terrorists or threats… Like the state of Israel, known for withholding slain Palestinians’ bodies, and even harvesting organs of dead Palestinians, UC Davis refuses to repatriate the remains and materials of Indigenous relatives to their communities, or its stolen land it desecrates. No more.”
    It also demanded “Abolish UC Davis and all UC Police Departments” and that “UC Davis must return Indigenous lands, remains, & material relatives to their Indigenous communities.”
    Brazenly, they also wanted money to try to get these demands accomplished: “Dedicate funding for Palestinian and Arab student organizing and activism on campus…”
    As a footnote: by publishing their demands using Google Docs, it appears that these groups are not following through with the recommended consumer boycott of Google as posted on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement website. I think it’s about as likely that they will do so as the UC system will “divest” from any and all index funds that include investments in companies on the BDS “divestment & exclusion targets” list such as Intel, Amazon, Disney, HP, Siemens, etc.
    While I generally support efforts to change systems from within, at what point will students who feel this way decide to “vote” with their tuition and fee money and not support an institution “founded on settler colonial theft and racialized violence, and profits off it” and enroll somewhere else?

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  41. Tuvia etc

    Hillel UCSC: “Our goal is to inspire students to pursue a lifetime of Jewish learning, tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and supporting Israel*. ” – https://www.santacruzhillel.org/about-us.html
    Koret: “United for the Jewish State: Koret grantees supporting Israel and Jews worldwide” – – https://koret.org/grantees/grantees-united-for-israel/ + https://koret.org/priorities/u-s-israel-bridge-building/ … pretty clear and general support of Israel*, not just specific programs.
    Thus, the mentioned boycotts seems perfectly logical! I don’t see the word “Palestinian”, or anything about healing divisions, etc.
    * “Israel” can be the govt, the nation-state, the brand… it’s not clear what people understand what they are saying but for lack of more precise definitions from the declarers – or e.g. details like “Support the people, but Fuck BiBi”, it’s Israel the country… Both orgs conflate Jews with Israel.
    Note that at least some of the financial supporters of Hillel UCSC and UCD are bullish on Israel.
    I seriously doubt that many – if any – Anti-Zionist Jews are regularly or internally involved at either Hillel, or Koret (prove me wrong…). That said, I am not claiming that if Anti-Zionist Jews went to Hillel for Shabbat that they would be turned away….

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  42. South of Davis

    I bet more than one female Jewish University employee is saying this today: “First the woke mob of leftists came for fraternity guys but I did not say anything since I was not a fraternity guy. Then they went after all white males, but I did not say anything since I was not a white male (and welcomed more female co-workers) now they want all the Jews off campus and an end to Israel and I don’t know what to do…

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  43. Alan C. Miller

    RM say: “The protesters have a right to protest, but they do not control the public space and there should be free passage through it.”
    I agree about free passage. On the Quad they technically are taking up the Centennial walkway and only open on one end. However, there is no building blocked and going around the Quad is easy. If any University has learned that attempting to remove protesting students riles up other students, brings attention, and attracts outsiders, it’s U.C.D. So far, pretty peaceful except provoked. The anti-anti-Zionism ‘protest the protest’ wall outside the encampment remained and was not defaced, so free speech is working well at UCD in this case, so far.

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  44. Keith

    Davis is for everyone, unless you’re flying an Israeli flag, you believe the term “biological male” is free speech or you are a college Republican.

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  45. Ron O

    While I generally support efforts to change systems from within, at what point will students who feel this way decide to “vote” with their tuition and fee money and not support an institution “founded on settler colonial theft and racialized violence, and profits off it” and enroll somewhere else?
    Probably when they’re subsidized somewhere else, as they are at the UC system.
    But I do find it amusing that they want UC to “give back” the land upon which it sits. (Probably first need to give it to Mexico, who can then give it to Spain, who can then give it to a handful of descendants who are now Americans – and may now own property themselves that once “belonged” to a different tribe.)

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  46. Alan C. Miller

    RM: “Here’s a question… why is the WEF flying a Palestinian flag but tells a person with an Israeli flag to go off in a corner? Sorry, I think you have to have Instagram to see this . . . ”
    I was able to see the instagram vid. It’s pretty thin gruel. WEF was not ‘flying’ the Palestinian flag. At the entire festival all weekend the only Palestinian flag I saw was hanging in the Experiential Dome between a gay pride flad and trans pride flag. I hear some of you rolling your eyes, but it’s not a ‘LGBTs for Palestine’ thing, just a variety of flags. I’d guess from knowing the students, this is nothing more than showing solidarity with repressed people — and no matter how you view the conflict there or who is ‘original boogie man’, there is no denying the Palestinian people are repressed and being killed in large numbers.
    I know every one of the young persons in that video, and they are some of the nicest, most solid people I know. I worked with them for the last few months, and they worked to exhaustion to move the festival on short notice. I worked with them all weekend, and I worked with them last night to clean up the festival. I never heard one anti-Israel or anti-Jewish word spoken. I once heard someone mention ‘the genocide’, and talked with them 1:1 later that I found that shibboleth and narrative unhelpful in talking about what is really going on with the war and offered to talk more about it if they wanted.
    The choice of how to decorate each space is up to those student volunteers who run that space. Hanging a Palestinian flag on a dome is certainly legal; there was no flag hanging on a flagpole by the Festival Dome symbolizing the festival ‘flying’ that flag, it’s an instagram illusion. Other than one speaker all weekend, a UCD history professor in who spoke to a small audience, I never saw a keffiyeh or saw anyone who appeared associated with the encampment. Well one person who everyone on this blog would know who is associated with every progressive cause in Davis I saw walk through during festival clean up with a keffiyeh, but that was it.
    I saw the guy with the Israel flag as he was leaving. He’s the same guy who’s been riding around on a bike with that flag and going to City Council meetings. He strikes me as an ‘Israel’s S don’t stink’ type, though that may be an unfair characterization. I saw him waving the huge Israel flag powerfully in front of the Festival Dome Sunday morning and then moving off the festival grounds before noon, and we never saw him again. Some of us were discussing last night how impressed we were with his upper arm strength. That was a huge flag. Some of the students said the woman he was with was really nice and they talked with her reasonably.
    The Experiential Dome is the center of festival-related activities for festival goers. My impression is that the flag guy was provoking for the purpose of creating an ‘instagram moment’. The students were asking him to move away from the area because they didn’t want him settling in right there disturbing the yoga classes, workshops, presentations, meditations, etc. We would have asked the same if that guy who yells Bible verses had taken up space there. He was free to move about the Festival with his flag, the ‘corner’ thing was nothing more than attempting to find a place he could go that didn’t cause a conflict with specific festival activities. It was a huge open field with no fence.
    I work with the festival largely because I find it attracts great young people and I always learn from them. I believe that any of you meeting the staff would find them to be interesting and solid folk, and maybe become less concerned about the future of the country.
    Flag guy was there for a short time in on Sunday morning, and I suspect he realized there wasn’t much there there to criticize or rally against except a single Palestinian flag on a dome wall. So he left, and probably went back to the encampment where he could find some real conflict for instagram gruel. The few seconds of video do not represent the Festival that I experienced, and was a really lame attempt to paint some great people with a brush of anti-something conflict, and that attempt was a fail. Provocatively-created instagram situations don’t represent reality. Actually, since I knew the place and people in the vid, this will make me extremely cynical of the voracity of anything I see on instagram, etc., going forward. WEF was just fine this year, and a provoked situation for a vid is just that. Nothing more.

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  47. Ron O

    Having watched the video once, I’d agree with Alan M’s overall assessment.
    But I don’t think the woman in the video needed to ask the guy to go elsewhere. Probably could have just been friendly and/or ignored him.
    Overall, my impression is that UCD generally does not attract the most-radical student element, and neither does Davis itself. That’s reserved for places like Berkeley.
    Though there is that group that works for the “establishment” (e.g., Spafford and Lincoln). (Having what we used to call “Republican” values.)

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  48. Keith

    Thanks Alan for the clarification. You were there and know the people involved and I trust your judgement.

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  49. Roberta L. Millstein

    Thanks for the backstory, Alan. I don’t doubt that the students are nice people and are well-meaning and that the person with the Israeli flag was looking to provoke something. It is, after all, 2024. The pro-Palestinian protesters are trying to provoke something too.
    So, it seems he caught them phrasing things in an inapt way. It happens. Or perhaps it was a bit more than that. There is the statement “it shouldn’t be happening at our festival” and “that is what we chose to do at our festival.” Not “this is just our personal expression as volunteers.” So it does seem as though they were saying there was no place for him at the festival at all, not just that he was in a spot that impeded other things (which I agree, would be reasonable).
    In any case, I don’t think there are grounds for allowing a Palestinian flag (fine with me) but not allowing an Israeli one — I say this as a matter of principle and my understanding of University policy.

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  50. Alan C. Miller

    RM say: “I don’t doubt that the students are nice people . . . ”
    They are excellent people, and I mean that.
    ” . . . and are well-meaning and that the person with the Israeli flag was looking to provoke something.”
    Yup.
    “The pro-Palestinian protesters are trying to provoke something too.”
    Also Yup.
    I am not defending the encampment. I am defending WEF staff in light of the provoking person visiting WEF and provoke-videotaping for his instagram.
    “So, it seems he caught them phrasing things in an inapt way. It happens.”
    It sure does. We are talking about young-adult college students in the 18-22 year old range facing an aggressive, provoking man with impressive giant-flag-waving arm strength and probably twice-or-more their age. Would you be totally “apt” in handling this same situation, even with your extra years of life experience? I had volunteered to talk with this man if he showed up again, but he left. I like to think I’d have handled the conversation well, but . . .
    “Or perhaps it was a bit more than that.”
    Perhaps, but so what?
    “There is the statement “it shouldn’t be happening at our festival” and “that is what we chose to do at our festival.” Not “this is just our personal expression as volunteers.”
    Well, the reality is that the people at that space decided to put up three flags, as I said before, I’m guessing in solidarity with repressed groups. You may disagree with their choices, but it was theirs to make. This was nothing more than that, didn’t require staff consensus, and really isn’t a big deal.
    “So it does seem as though they were saying there was no place for him at the festival at all, not just that he was in a spot that impeded other things (which I agree, would be reasonable).”
    He also used a short clip that cuts off the woman talking. And maybe more reasonable things were said, and maybe more unreasonable things were said before/after; I don’t know. It also isn’t my job to defend anyone, but I like this crew and respect these people as young adults, so I am speaking up.
    “In any case, I don’t think there are grounds for allowing a Palestinian flag (fine with me) but not allowing an Israeli one — I say this as a matter of principle and my understanding of University policy.”
    No one at Festival hung an Israeli flag, and they don’t have to. No one hung a ‘straight person’ flag next to the gay- and trans-pride flags either, and they don’t have to. The person was not banned from the Festival and was not disallowed from carrying his flag. The issue was an aggressive presence not disrupting Festival activities.

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