Last week's protest
February 13, 2023
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
I’m writing to address concerns that community members have raised regarding a protest that took place on campus last Wednesday.
Students for Justice in Palestine and a group of pro-Israel students gathered to assert their points of view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The two groups followed the proper protocols for scheduling a protest on campus; each numbered between 5-15 people during the hour-long protest. Everyone involved maintained an appropriate distance from each other, and university staff were on site throughout to ensure a safe event. The safety of our students is always our highest priority.
Freedom of expression is protected and valued fully on this campus; I encourage all community members to familiarize yourselves with Brandeis’ principles on free speech if you haven’t already. However, the protection of speech will not shield from criticism those who evoke the horrors of the Holocaust in a disgraceful manner, seek to promote violence, or call for the eradication of a country. It is unfortunate that protesters, who included members of non-Brandeis groups known to be antisemitic, used such language—language that lacked the substance and decency one would expect from members of our community.
I’d also encourage students to understand their rights and responsibilities, in particular as they pertain to campus protests and demonstrations. Students who violate these standards, or other university policies, will be held appropriately accountable.
Brandeis is committed to productive and open conversations around a wide range of issues, including the most difficult ones. In order to create the environment that we aspire to, we must exercise respect as much as we exercise passion when we engage with those who hold different views. And we must be able to disagree, reflect on, and learn from our exchanges in an atmosphere free of intimidation.
Sincerely,
Ron Liebowitz