Northwestern, Rutgers, and UCLA leaders all claim they don't know who started encampments
The leaders of Northwestern University, Rutgers University, and the University of California, Los Angeles all claimed under oath during a Congressional hearing Thursday that they don't know which groups started anti-Israel encampments.
The leaders of Northwestern University, Rutgers University, and the University of California, Los Angeles all claimed under oath during a Congressional hearing Thursday that they don’t know which groups started anti-Israel encampments on their campuses.
Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) asked Northwestern President Michael Schill, Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, if they knew what groups began anti-Israel encampments on their campuses.
Northwestern President Michael Schill said “I don’t know,” UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said “I’m uncertain,” and Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway: “...I’m unable to tell you which organizations.”
Leaders of Northwestern, Rutgers, and UCLA were unable to name what groups were behind the encampments.
Northwestern’s Michael Schill: “I don’t know.”
UCLA’s Gene Block: “I’m uncertain.”
Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway: “...I’m unable to tell you which organizations.” pic.twitter.com/ccRyDzSnaL— Campus Reform (@campusreform) May 23, 2024
”This is absolutely shocking. You allowed these encampments to persist on your campus, but you don’t know who was behind them. You don’t know what was there, but they’re occupying and causing violence and chaos on your campus. That is astonishing admission to me, and I think, probably disingenuous,” Williams said in response.
While Schill and Holloway claim they don’t know which groups were behind the encampments, the two men signed documents with the groups who organized them.
According to the Daily Northwestern, Schill signed an agreement with Educators for Justice in Palestine, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace.
Holloway’s name is on a university statement directly tying the encampment to Students for Justice in Palestine.
UCLA didn’t make an agreement with pro-Palestine protesters.
Most of Thursday’s hearing focused on Schill, who struggled to explain why he entered into an agreement with anti-Israel protesters who illegally occupied a portion of campus.
Notably, when Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) asked Schill about allegations that a Jewish student was assaulted, a student wearing a yarmulke was spat on, and a Jewish student was harassed and stalked while trying to go to Hillel, he simply responded by saying the incidents were being investigated.
[RELATED: Hamas thanks student protesters, dubs them part of the Oct. 7 ‘flood’ to annihilate Jews]
Schill said that no student has been punished for anti-Semitic behavior, but reiterated repeatedly that investigations are underway.
