Jewish UC Berkeley students plan rally to combat antisemitism

OAKLAND, Calif. - A group of Jewish students, alumni and faculty plan to rally at the University of California Berkeley on Monday, as they say the university isn't doing enough to protect its Jewish community members and deal with antisemitism. 

A group of 300 Cal are expected to flood the campus at 11:15 a.m. to "Liberate the Gate" in response to Sather Gate being blocked by pro-Palestinian protests in the past several weeks.

The Jewish groups say the environment at UC Berkeley has grown "increasingly hostile" towards the Jewish community since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Specifically, the groups say the university is selective when applying its policies to groups of protesters. 

"When there was the riot, I went to the police station with one of the students who was spat on and called ‘dirty Jew’ repeatedly," said Hannah Schlacter, a UC Berkeley graduate student. "That's a feeling that I don't know how to describe, but it sends me the message that if i want to be safe, I have to go elsewhere"

Monday's student march isn’t the only effort to support the Jewish community on campus. 

Professor Ron Hassner began a "lock-in" inside his office at 6 p.m. on Thursday. He says it's his way of persuading the university to do more to protect Jewish students.

"A week and a half ago, as many have heard, when a speaker came to campus to talk about the Israeli Gaza conflict, a mob of 200 masked students and non-students attacked a venue, harmed multiple students, damaged university property," Hassner told KTVU. "So, now students are worried. "

Hassner says he will stay there until the campus takes the "necessary" steps to prevent violence against students.

In a statement sent to KTVU on Sunday, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof wrote that the administration is "aware of an is concerned about rising tensions on campus."

He said they're trying to reduce those tensions through dialogue, but he noted that some of this conflict is unavoidable when people with opposite and strongly held beliefs choose to exercise their First Amendment rights that the school feels "compelled to uphold." 

"We are well aware that speech protected by the Constitution can be deeply disturbing and offensive," he said.

But to avoid more violence, Mogulof said that the administration has been working with the organizers of the Sather Gate protest to make sure they follow all safety protocols so as to avoid the university having to call in police.

As for Hassner's "lock-in," Mogulof said that the "university remains committed to fostering an environment conducive to robust free speech and in which all members of its community feel that they may engage in campus life without fear of harassment."

Mogulof added that the "administration is committed to confronting antisemitism and holds Professor Hassner in great esteem and it is in conversation with him about his concerns."