Heckler shoves pro-Palestine protester at Stanford, officers step in
Stanford University: Counter-protestor disruptions to 'Hamas' headband
A counter-protester shows up to a pro-Palestine prayer vigil during a protest at Stanford Friday night and is caught on cell phone video shouting and pushing a protester. Additionally, the university has turned photos of a person wearing a "Hamas" headband over to the FBI for an investigation.
STANFORD, Calif. - A heckler showed up to a pro-Palestine prayer vigil during a peaceful protest at Stanford on Friday night, causing a heated confrontation.
The man was caught on cell phone video shouting and pushing a student protester.
He could be seen resisting law enforcement commands to stand down before being escorted away with the help of campus security.
"I said f*** you to them," the unidentified man told KTVU right before being put into a patrol car, "They came [and] put me in cuffs."
The tense encounter left protesters frustrated.
"We can’t even grieve peacefully."
The group which includes students and professors has been camping out at White Memorial Plaza on the Stanford campus for over a week are concerned about their safety.
"People keep shouting at us. People keep taking pictures of us, and people keep trying to dox us. Of course, I don’t feel safe," a spokesperson for the group of protesters told KTVU.
Social media is abuzz with images of an unknown person on campus this week wearing what is described by Stanford as a Hamas headband.
The university contacted the FBI after seeing the photos.
Protestors explain divestment issues at UC Berkeley as encampment continues
Protestors camping out at UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza on Thursday said they were encouraged by meetings with UC officials.
A spokesperson for the university said, "We find this deeply disturbing, as Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States government."
"I’m not justifying it," a protester said about the Hamas headband. "I’m saying that it’s not us. We don’t even agree with that."
Dozens of tents are set up at Stanford where pro-Palestine demonstrators are calling for the university to cut ties with companies supporting Israel’s war against Hamas.
"A Palestinian life is also worth the same value as any other life on earth," another protester said.
The university encourages peaceful expression of free speech but is aware of campus outsiders taking part in the protest who could face arrest.
According to the university, overnight camping is not allowed on White Memorial Plaza, and those students could be disciplined.
It is unclear if the man who was taken into custody is a student at Stanford.
We are waiting to hear back from law enforcement on whether he was detained or arrested.