SDSU Protest Brings Light to Controversial Anti-BDS Activism on College Campuses

Two weeks ago, a series of posters calling to “Stop the Jew Hatred” on college campuses were spread throughout San Diego State University. Listed on the posters were the names of local student activists who were noted as BDS supporters or members of Students for Justice in Palestine. These posters appeared simultaneously on the campuses of  SDSU, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, and UC Berkeley without the support or knowledge of these school’s groups. Each school poster contained names distinct to activists on that specific school’s campus. The David Horowitz Freedom Center, a group created by the conservative writer and Southern California-resident, to “combat the efforts of the radical left and its Islamist allies to destroy American values,” has claimed credit for the posters. The group’s subsidiary website, Stop the Jew Hatred on Campus, also published an ad in the Daily Aztec April 20 edition, however the ad did not explicitly name any students.

The corresponding website explained that the names of the student activists were found on the Canary Mission database, a controversial “dark site” that chronicles in great detail the activities of BDS activists and on U.S. college campuses. It is not clear why the five schools were selected for the poster distribution earlier this month.

Many students reported to local Jewish organizations that they weren’t aware of the posters, until San Diego State president Elliott Hirshman issued an email statement which some SDSU students felt was not strong enough its its condemnation of the posters. KPBS reported on Midday Edition that a group of protesters surrounded Hirshman while he was in a police vehicle on campus on Wednesday, April 27. He reportedly waited inside the vehicle for an hour before coming out to verbally apologize to the student protesters.

While posters on campus were taken down, students continue to post photos of the posters found on the outskirts of campus, to the Facebook event page created to promote Wednesday’s protest. One student notes that the posters are “plastered” on and cannot be easily removed.

The boycott, divest, and sanction movement has sparked fierce debate on both sides, and college campuses remain a battleground. The California legislature is currently debating a bill that would keep the state from doing business with any organizations that are actively boycotting Israel. Supporters are dubbing it the “anti-BDS” bill. Three states already have similar bills, and 10 more state legislatures are currently considering them.

Jewish groups on the SDSU campus and throughout the San Diego community have shared their condemnation of the tactics utilized in the SDSU posters. StandWithUs, a noted Jewish campus watchdog group, declined to comment. Hillel San Diego State issued the following statement:

“Hillel at San Diego State University condemns the singling out of SDSU students who were listed on the flyers created by and placed on campus by individuals unaffiliated with the university. We strongly condemn any efforts to demonize any racial or religious group, as the inflammatory language of the flyers does. Hillel is committed to creating a campus climate where all feel safe and secure, where diversity is celebrated, and where political differences are communicated civilly and respectfully. ”

Some students in the protest Facebook page noted that David Horowitz may be making an appearance at SDSU next week. The Journal will continue to monitor these developments.

*This post was updated to include a statement from Hillel San Diego State.

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