As students chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” Jewish students told Fox News Digital about the anti-Semitism and extreme anger they experienced on campus during this week’s protests. .
Hundreds of protesters gathered on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday to take part in a chaotic anti-Israel protest that included “significant participation from outside groups,” according to a statement from the school. Nearly 60 people were arrested, but criminal charges against 46 of the 57 protesters were dropped.
The University of Texas at Austin joins universities such as Columbia University and Yale University, as well as the University of Southern California, whose anti-Israel protests have made headlines in recent days. The University of Texas at Austin said the protest was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, which aims to “paralyze university operations across the country.”
During the protests, an anti-Israel student was heard telling a Jewish student, “Damn you Zion Nazi…” and multiple students told FOX News Digital they approached and told them to “go home.” He said he was told this. To Germany. Other chants were heard, such as “APD, KKK, IDF/They’re all the same,” likening the Austin Police Department and the Israel Defense Forces to the KKK.
Levi, a Jewish student wearing a kippah and an Israeli flag wrapped around his shoulders, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the protests were made up of “pro-Hamas” people, but he wanted everyone to stay. He expressed his gratitude to law enforcement. It’s relatively peaceful. ”
“We’ve seen some acts of violence against police officers,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of people angry, I’ve seen a lot of people crying, I’ve heard a lot of hate against Jews. I don’t call it anti-Semitism anymore. I think it’s beneath the surface: the hatred for Jews when a girl came up to me and said, ‘You should go back to Germany.’
“Every time they protest, my voice gets louder and it makes me proud to be Jewish and I’m not going home. They’re not going to scare me,” Levi added. Ta. “I know that the university authorities are supporting us to ensure that Jews are safe on university campuses. I have seen a lot of anti-Israel protests and I understand that. Hamas I’ve seen a lot of supportive chants. I’ve heard a lot.”
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“I’m ready for this to end. I’m ready to make sure that Jew-hatred has no place on our campus,” he concluded. “I am pleased that law enforcement and the administration are taking appropriate steps to ensure there is no room for hate here at the University of Texas.”
Another Jewish student, Jeremy, also told Fox News Digital that anti-Israel demonstrators told him to “go back to Germany” and called the protests “extremely anti-Semitic.”
“I obviously support the right to protest no matter what,” he said. But “it’s become a little bit anti-Semitic, and of course that’s not what it should be.”
Zachary, a Jewish student, told Fox News Digital that he was protesting on behalf of Israel and in solidarity with Jews.
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“The proliferation of anti-Semitic rhetoric is harmful,” he said. “We’re hearing chants and things like that. It’s really hard to hear, but it’s important that we stand here peacefully and share information and actively talk to individuals.”
“But yeah, it’s disappointing to hear that.” [anti-Israel chants]“We go to a school with a great education and a great system, and this rhetoric is still circulating across campus,” he added.
APD and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) were seen making arrests as protesters chanted “Pigs go home!” Protesters wearing keffiyehs attempted to set up some tents before police intervened.
DPS later told FOX News Digital that the arrests were made “to assist the UT Police Department in maintaining public peace by deterring unlawful assembly and arresting those engaging in all types of criminal activity, including trespassing.” said it was done.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott denounced the protests against X as lawless and anti-Semitic.
“These protesters should be in jail,” Abbott wrote. “Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in Texas, and rightly so. Students who participate in hateful anti-Semitic protests at Texas public universities should be expelled.”
UT Austin told FOX News Digital early Wednesday afternoon that it “does not tolerate” destructive protests, and that night university President Jay Hartzell released a statement about the protests, calling today a “challenging day.” ” he called.
“We have witnessed a lot of activity on campus that we do not normally experience, and these events understandably involve a lot of emotion,” Hartzell wrote. “Today, our university steadfastly enforced our rules while upholding our constitutional right to free speech.”
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University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzl speaks at the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) Economic Policy Conference on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 in Dallas, Texas, USA. (Nitasia Johnson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Peaceful protests within our rules are acceptable,” he added. “Breaking our rules and policies or interfering with others’ ability to learn is not allowed.”
Hartzell also praised law enforcement and officials for allowing peaceful protests to take place “within the rules.”
“We would like to thank the countless employees, state and university law enforcement officers, and support personnel who have shown extraordinary restraint in the face of the difficult circumstances occurring at universities across the country,” he said.
“There are ways to exercise freedom of speech and civil discussion, and our Office of the Dean of Students has continued to provide ways to ensure protests occur within the rules,” he added. Ta. “The University of Texas will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that all university functions continue without interruption.”
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FOX News’ Christopher White, Andrea Vacchiano, Lawrence Richard and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
