U.C. Irvine sanctioned the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine for disrupting a May program hosted by a Jewish campus group and intimidating Jewish students.
The SJP chapter was issued a written warning that will be in effect until March 2017, the Campus Reform website reported last week, citing an email from Vice Chancellor Thomas Parham.
“After a thorough review, the student conduct investigation is now complete,” the email said. “The investigators found that Students for Justice in Palestine, the group that organized and led the protest, violated student conduct policies regarding disruption: ‘Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or other university activities.’ “
In May, Jewish students attending the screening of the Israeli documentary “Beneath the Helmet” under the auspices of the campus Hillel were escorted from the scene by campus police after about 50 protesters gathered outside the film’s venue in a university classroom and made threatening chants.
The email said that SJP had a right to protest, and cited its hostile actions and intimidation as reasons for the warning.
“We support and defend groups exercising free speech and assembly, yet we must protect everyone’s right to express themselves without disruption,” the email said. – jta