Anti-Israel groups at UCSB protest anti-mask policy that aims to stop identity concealment during protests
The anti-Israel activists condemned what they claimed are UCSB’s ‘ableist, racist, and draconian policies that only seek to silence and suppress free speech.’
UC President Michael Drake called on UC leaders to enforce the anti-mask policy following a chaotic several months that saw multiple colleges and universities taken over by anti-Israel activists.
Anti-Israel activists at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) recently held a demonstration attacking the university system’s policy prohibiting protesters from using masks to hide their identities.
The protest, which took place on Friday, was organized by a number of anti-Israel student groups at UCSB, including the school’s chapter of the pro-Hamas Students for Justice in Palestine and the chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, as noted by the school paper the Daily Nexus. The activists wore N95+ masks to demonstrate their opposition to the UC anti-mask policy.
“One of the UC’s newest policies outlaws masking with complete disregard for immuno-compromised students,” one of the protesters said. “Let’s show them that we still intend to keep them safe no matter what.”
In an Instagram post advertising the demonstration, the group UCSB People’s University called the policy “racist,” saying: “We’re demanding that the University of California completely cut its ties with the war machine and calling for an end to the UC’s newest ableist, racist, and draconian policies that only seek to silence and suppress free speech.”
“It’s time to disrupt business as usual until the University of California divests from the war machine and repeals these harmful measures. . . . Remember to keep your comrades safe—wear a mask(KN95+) and look out for one another. Don’t worry if you forget yours we’ll have some for you!” the group concluded.
On Aug. 19, UC President Michael Drake called on UC’s chancellors to stop future disruptive demonstrations and to prohibit activists from wearing masks during such protests, telling them to enforce “policies that prohibit camping or encampments, unauthorized structures, restrictions on free movement, masking to conceal identity.”
A UCSB spokesperson told Campus Reform: “UC wide policy is that no person shall wear a mask or personal disguise or otherwise conceal their identity with the intent of intimidating any person or group or for the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification in the commission of violations of law or policy.”
”In addition, campus policy requires all persons on University property to abide by University policy and campus regulations and shall identify themselves upon request to University officials acting in the performance of their duties,” the spokesperson continued.
[RELATED: Stanford tightens rules on campus protests, cracks down on disruptive tent camps]
This February, UCSB Jewish student leader Tessa Veksler was targeted by anti-Semitic signs at the school’s MultiCultural Center. The signs included messages calling her a “racist Zionist” and another threatening: “You can run but you can’t hide Tessa Veksler.” Another sign bore the message: “Zionists not welcome.”
