Harvard statement on anti-Semitic protest makes no mention of anti-Semitism
The statement concerned a protest calling for Hillel, a Jewish student group, to be banned from campus.
Harvard’s statement on the incident acknowledged a 'trend' of discriminatory behavior but did not name any specific examples.
The Office of the Chaplain and Religious and Spiritual Life at Harvard University recently released a statement concerning an anti-Semitic protest that students staged outside of the area designated for Harvard Hillel, a Jewish student group. This statement, however, contained no mention of anti-Semitism.
While the school acknowledged the “disturbing” nature of such incidents, it made no mention of Hillel, anti-Semitism, or Jewish students, according to The Algermeiner.
“We have noticed a trend of expression in which entire groups of students are told they ‘are not welcome here’ because of their religious, cultural, ethnic, or political commitments and identities, or are targeted through acts of vandalism,” the statement reads. “We find this trend disturbing and anathema to the dialogue and connection across lines of difference that must be a central value and practice of a pluralistic institution of higher learning.”
The statement was intended to address a protest by dozens of students calling for Hillel to be banned from campus on grounds that tolerating the Jewish group at the school constitutes support for “genocide” perpetrated by Israel. During the protest, students chanted slogans such as “Zionists aren’t welcome here” and displayed signs with messages including “Harvard out of occupied Palestine,” “divest,” and “stop the genocide.”
Harvard’s statement on the incident stated that free expression should be upheld but highlighted that targeting specific students or groups of students at the school was unacceptable
“Student groups who are singled out in this way experience such language and acts of vandalism as a painful attack that undermines the acceptance and flourishing of religious diversity here at Harvard,” the school stated. “Let us all endeavor to care for one another in these divisive times.”
Campus Reform has reported previously on Harvard’s apparent opposition to measures intended to stop campus anti-Semitism. In October, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce released a report condemning Harvard’s failure to condemn Hamas’ attacks against Israel in 2023 as well as the “radical faculty members worked to prevent disciplinary action from being taken against students who violated official policies and even the law.”
Many Harvard professors, including the Center for Government and International Studies’ Dr. Vincent Brown, criticized the report, claiming that it merely focused on punishing anti-Semitic offenders while circumventing substantive issues.
“This doesn’t look like they’re trying to protect students on campus,” Brown said. “When you read the report, overwhelmingly, it looks like what they’re concerned with is universities’ failure to punish their students. I didn’t get into education to punish my students.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Harvard University for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.