Democratic lawmaker delivers message to anti-Jewish protesters at university camp via Zoom.
Amidst the raging anti-Jewish protests at universities across the nation, a video has surfaced, showcasing Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s support for and encouragement of aggressive actions taken by far-left anti-Jewish agitators at the University of Oregon. The video, disseminated by Free Palestine Eugene and the UO Palestine Coalition, captures Tlaib expressing her gratitude and admiration for the protesters’ efforts to push the country in what she deems the “right direction.”
This isn’t the first time Tlaib has shown her support for causes deemed antisemitic, aligning herself with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. She has often been critical of Israel and has voiced sympathetic sentiments towards anti-Israel actions.
Expressing her disdain for the cracking down on protests at various universities last month, Tlaib criticized administrations for retaliating against demonstrators who were exercising their constitutional rights. She condemned the responses of the authorities at universities such as UM, Vanderbilt, USC, and Columbia, where students had been protesting against what they called genocide.
One notable incident involved Isra Hirsi, daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was arrested during a protest at Columbia University. Tlaib took to X to express her discontent, stating, “From UM to Vanderbilt to USC to Columbia, students across our country are being retaliated against for using their constitutional rights to protest genocide. It’s appalling.”
Refusing to acknowledge the antisemitism displayed at some of these protests, Tlaib took part in a protest at the University of Michigan on April 24. This move raised eyebrows, especially when reports emerged of protesters at various universities calling for an “intifada” and advocating for the destruction of the Jewish state, leading to numerous arrests as law enforcement intervened to disband the gatherings.
At the University of Oregon, over 100 students established an encampment in protest of the war in Gaza and to demand divestment from Israel. This encampment, reflective of similar movements taking place nationwide, has garnered attention, with university president Karl Scholz rejecting the protesters’ demands, citing violation of university policy as the reason.
As the encampment swelled to over 100 tents by Thursday, negotiations between the university and the protesters are ongoing. The fate of the encampment and the possible timeline for its removal remain uncertain should the protesters choose not to vacate peacefully.
