The (Latest Disruption) at Princeton

I am cross-posting an excellent article by RAIR Foundation USA reporting on the latest disruption by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and others at Princeton University on April 7. A speaking event by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was loudly disrupted both inside and outside by SJP and other activists until one of the disruptors pulled a fire alarm and ended the event. It appears that Princeton officials and campus police did virtually nothing to put a halt to the disruption, which also featured anti-Jewish slurs.

RAIR’s report has it all, including photos, videos, and a letter sent to Princeton’s president, Christopher Eisgruber, from Princeton Tigers for Israel and B’Artzeinu Princeton

Here is how the Daily Princetonian reported the incident.

This latest incident outlines the need for the Trump administration to continue and follow through on suspending government funding for universities like Princeton, who allow this disruption to take place without arrests, that allow anti-Jewish slurs to be hurled around, and that allow someone to set off a fire alarm that brings a halt to an event. Falsely setting off a fire alarm is a crime. As is usual, the university laments the incident and promises an investigation. Those investigations would be made a lot easier if campus police intervened and arrested those who go beyond legitimate protests and intentionally shut down events. 

In 2010, when then-Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Oren’s speech at the University of California at Irvine was disrupted (I was present) by the UCI Muslim Student Union, the disrupters were promptly removed by campus police and subsequently charged and convicted by the Orange County DA’s Office. That is what should have happened at Princeton, particularly the individual identified as Sayel Kayed, who is shown in the videos standing up and disrupting Naftali’s talk. Unlike the so-called Irvine 11, this individual was allowed to continue his rant for some time before he was removed. Why was he not arrested (not for speaking his opinion but for disorderly conduct or interfering with the free speech rights of others)?

To all you parents paying big bucks to Princeton for your kids’ tuition, this is what you are paying for.