.... In the previously unreported civil rights complaint, 18 students said that they have “been the target of extreme anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab harassment and discrimination by fellow UMass students, including receiving racial slurs, death threats and in one instance, actually being assaulted.” The result, the students said, was a hostile environment for all Arab and Palestinian students, those perceived to be Palestinian, and their allies on campus. Among the most chilling allegations involves a student yelling “kill all Arabs” at fellow students protesting Israel’s war on Gaza.
... The student, whose name is redacted in the copy of the complaint reviewed by The Intercept, also allegedly attempted to intimidate an elderly woman among other people, “while also being extremely racist towards Arabs and Palestinians, stating ‘level Gaza’ and ‘Kill all Arabs.’”
The complainants also report receiving vicious messages and threats online, also allegedly by a student and student-run accounts with names like “@amherstzionwarroom, @UMass_amherst_sjp_watch, @UMass_amherst_zionists and @UMass_zionists.”
Some of the posts called the students “classic Islamic barbarism supporters [who] love raping and killing,” and “genocidal barbarian baby decapitator supporters.” One account, named “palisranimals,” reportedly targeted two students, making comments like “where is the best beach in Gaza to build a house next to?! I’ve heard Pali bones make great foundation!” and “every ‘Palestinian’ child in Gaza is actually a terrorist.”
“These accounts would target SJP students and comment on their meeting times, eventually bragged about the doxing on Canary Mission,” reads the complaint, referring to a website that targets and doxxes students and professors who criticize the Israeli government.
I don't doubt there has been hateful rhetoric from both, this is an emotional issue. But to pretend it's one sided is bs.
Worse, anyone protesting the horrors unfolding in Gaza. Anyone calling for a ceasefire is branded anti-semitic. Anyone calling out the horrific civilian death tolls of Palestinians is anti-semitic. Jewish people who are part of these protests are called anti-semitic. Similar is happening in Germany and other parts of the West.
Basically, anything that disagrees with anything Israel does is branded as anti-semitic. If you are not blank check pro-Israel, you must be anti-semitic. Which is just outrageous and beggars belief.
The usual PR cover that Israel gets has broken down, politicians themselves who are used to the same ol', same ol', still don't see why the younger generation is upset with the world they're inheriting. Polits don't compute how their years of failures on economic policies, on climate action, could also include the many failures of foreign policy and the business as usual approach. The elders are angry for implicitly being called out as hypocrites. For being called out for funding crimes against humanity. The calls for divestment ruffles the business interests of weapons manufacturing as well. Then you have those that are just ignorant, racist, prejudicial hateful types.