Anti-Israel activists at Yale University brought back an on-campus encampment last night (Tuesday) to protest an upcoming visit by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to an off-campus mansion to address Jewish students, exactly one year after the previous anti-Israel encampments began.
Jewish students claimed that they were blocked by anti-Israel protesters again, with one writing on social media, "One year and nothing has changed! Yale students have reoccupied Yale’s Beinecke Plaza and are blocking my Jewish friends and I just as they did last year."
About eight tents were set up on the campus. A video posted by Students for Justice in Palestine showed a protest leader stating, “We are here for liberating our city.” Protesters shouted, “We are here, and we are staying all night!”
In one video, a protester taunted Jewish students with jibes at their identity, claiming, "Oh, you're trying to victimize yourself? I don't know, that's what your people do!... Israelis, Zionists, Zionists... Caucasians"
Protest leaders announced that the encampment would break up after about two and a half hours, but promised to return for another protest this evening. However, the tents were not taken down.
“The gathering of about 200 people, who erected eight tents, was not authorized by the university and is not known to be affiliated with any recognized student organization,” a university spokesperson said in a statement. “The group’s activities violated Yale’s time, place, and manner policies.”
The statement continued, “Yale supports free expression on campus, including permitting peaceful vigils, rallies, protests, and counterprotests that comply with the university’s time, place, and manner rules. Those who violate the university’s policies and instructions regarding use of outdoor spaces may face law enforcement and disciplinary action, including reprimand, probation, suspension or expulsion.”
Ben-Gvir is scheduled to speak today during a visit to the Shabtai society, which is geared toward Jewish students who attend Yale but is not affiliated with the university. He is scheduled to speak at a location that is off-campus.
Exactly one year before the latest encampment, at least 45 anti-Israel protesters were arrested at the previous encampment after police in riot gear stormed the campus.
Several days earlier, a Jewish Yale student journalist was stabbed in the eye with a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) flag.