Anti-Israel protesters tried to disrupt an event during which two wounded Israel Defense Forces veterans spoke at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, on Aug. 30.
The event, hosted by Mustangs United for Israel and Chabad of SLO and Cal Poly, was titled “Rising to the Challenge” and featured the two Jewish speakers who “paused their lives to defend their people,” according to promotional materials for the event.
CAMERA, which sponsored the event, stated that protesters refused to leave “even after being told by authorities they were violating university rules.” It shared a video on social media of an officer telling masked protesters holding signs at the event to step outside and stay in a designated protest area. One sign stated “U.N. says genocide” and another, “end the occupation.”
Other footage posted on social media appeared to show a sign stating “IDF kills.”
Matt Lazier, assistant vice president for communications and media relations at the university, told JNS that “at one point, several individuals attempted to disrupt the event in protest.”
“Cal Poly police officers, who were present, directed those individuals to leave, as their actions were a violation of the university’s time, place and manner policy,” he said. “The protesters complied, no laws were broken, and there were no arrests.”
Hali Spiegel, director of education at CAMERA, told JNS that the protesters “created a hostile environment that forced Jewish and pro-Israel students to leave through an alternate exit.”
“Disruptions like this have a chilling effect. Students should not have to weigh whether attending an event will mean being mobbed, intimidated or forced to leave under police protection,” she said. “Campus events that hardline anti-Israel activists dislike should not be subjected to a heckler’s veto.”
