Jewish Students Attacked and Forced to Evacuate Club Z-Sponsored Event at UC Berkeley

(Berkeley) – Jewish students were physically attacked and forced to evacuate under police protection when hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors infiltrated a private event with IDF Reservist Ran Bar-Yoshafat, sponsored by Club Z, on Monday evening, Feb. 26 at UC Berkeley. Protestors with the student group Bears for Palestine broke windows and breached the perimeter of the venue. UC Berkeley Chief of Police Yogananda Pittman shut down the event, and Bar-Yoshafat was unable to speak on campus, violating free speech and the students' rights to gather peacefully.

“What we witnessed last night at Berkeley was a blatant violation of Title VI and civil rights and a threat to Jewish students’ safety at the hands of a racist mob,” said Masha Merkulova, Club Z Founder and Executive Director. “How can UC Berkeley stand by and allow this behavior to continue? Berkeley has students who are Hamas supporters and who flagrantly call for the destruction of Jews. Why were campus police not empowered to control this violent mob? What has to happen for the administration to stand up and support their students’ rights and safety? Where is their commitment to diversity and promoting free speech?”

Student protestors called campus police “pigs,” chanted “Intifada, Intifada,” physically attacked Jewish students who attempted to attend the event – grabbing one female student around the neck and pushing her into a wall – called them murderers, and even spat at students, screaming “Dirty Jew!” The antisemitic behavior began before the event when Bears for Palestine posted images of Bar-Yoshafat, accusing him of being a “genocidal murderer” and calling for efforts to “Shut it Down.”

“Instead of giving more security to us, they gave a prize to those who were violent,” said Bar Yoshafat to The Daily Wire. “They basically said those banging on doors and spitting on Jews are allowed to continue, but I had to leave even though I was just peacefully speaking. Berkeley is on the wrong side of history, and it’s not a safe place for Jews anymore.” Bar-Yoshafat ultimately addressed Jewish students and community members at an alternate location.