On February 12 at 3:18 PM, the UCLA community received an email from Chancellor Julio Frenk announcing the interim suspension of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine (GSJP). These groups were responsible for the Week of Rage declared on the anniversary of the deadliest day for Jews since the Shoah and the encampments during Spring Quarter 2024. Their suspension was ushered by the harassment directed at UC Regent Jay Sures. As the announcement stated,
“On February 5, 2025, individuals affiliated with the student groups harassed Mr. Sures and members of his family outside his home,” while chanting threatening messages such as, “Jonathan Sures, you will pay until you see your final day.”
It should come as no surprise that SJP has repeatedly misrepresented free speech to justify illegal actions, espousing antisemitism under the thin veil of anti-Zionist rhetoric. Their actions –which should have been classified as hate speech to begin with– include.
SJP has also repeatedly used the symbol of a red hand in their protests, including in vandalism on Jay Sures’ family home, which historically represents the lynching of Jews.
When clubs break campus rules, they should not receive benefits and sanctions from the university. SJP and GSJP should have been suspended long ago. During this school year alone, the groups have intimidated students, vandalized campus, and repeatedly broken Time, Place, and Manner rules, then whined when their actions brought a whiff of consequences. Their blatant support for antisemitism and terrorism, along with their disregard for the law, has no place on this campus. Despite the lawsuit banning the encampments, no real repercussions were imposed on those involved. In response to similar actions, universities such as Brandeis, Columbia, and George Washington swiftly suspended their SJP chapters. As UCLA’s statement reminds us, “There is no place for violence in our Bruin community” – so what took UCLA so long?
Image taken by Ha’Am Staff
The views expressed in this post reflect the views of the author(s) and not UCLA or ASUCLA Communications Board.
