The University of California, San Diego has adopted new funding rules to impede conservative events and appease leftists after a campus pro-Israel group hosted a speaker on campus.
Last spring, Mosab Hassan Yousef, a former Palestinian militant who defected to Israel and son of a cofounder of Hamas, spoke on campus, following a leftist pro-Hamas encampment.
The university allowed the event to take place but just days later implemented a new policy restricting how school funds were distributed.
The university now requires all events to meet the following requirements to receive funding:
All of these policies are to be enforced via so-called “random” checks by Associated Students, the student organization office, employees.
While the university did not admit these restrictions are connected with the pro-Israel event, the timing raises concerns about the school’s intentions. Just weeks prior to the Tritons for Israel event, the university that is now giving in to leftist demands allowed those same voices to camp unhindered and violently for days.
In early May that year, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) formed an encampment on university property and, according to UCSD’s own website, the school told the pro-Hamas protestors within minutes that it was an illegal camp and that they needed to leave immediately. Despite this, the University watched as SJP brought bike racks, pallets, makeshift shields, and more from across campus, and at least one member of the encampment told the school they were hoping arrests would take place.
After five days, that the university finally allowed police to move in and dismantle the camp. Pro-Hamas protestors met this shutdown with heavy violence against police officers.
Only 58 out of 300+ pro-Hamas protestors were put on notice for student conduct violations. It is unclear whether the school disciplined anyone.
Given these events, the University of California, San Diego cannot hope to appear neutral by giving in to leftist demands just weeks after allowing such an egregious anti-Israel event to occur.
YAF has filed a public records request under California Public Records Act. YAF will be continuing our investigation and is prepared to take all legal actions necessary should these policies infringe on any constitutional rights. If you or someone you know was affected by the SJP Encampment, reach out to YAF’s Legal Team.
