Seth Greenwald, a Jewish law student at the University of Texas and survivor of the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, was subjected to harassment during a pro-Palestine demonstration on the university campus. Greenwald, who is set to graduate in May, recounted to Breitbart Texas his harrowing experience during the Hamas attack that killed nearly 1,200 people. Despite surviving this horrific event, he faced hostility on his own university campus where he was spat on twice and derogatorily told to “go back to Poland” by protesters.
This demonstration, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, not only targeted Greenwald but also highlighted a broader issue of civility towards Jewish students. The university had to intervene when protesters did not comply with an order to disperse, leading to the arrest of nearly 60 individuals for criminal trespassing. Travis County Attorney Delia Garza noted that many criminal cases were dismissed due to deficiencies in probable cause affidavits, suggesting a chaotic handling of the protest aftermath.
Response to Antisemitism and Campus Tensions
Greenwald expressed dissatisfaction with the response from organizations like the Anti-Defamation League to the rise of antisemitic demonstrations on college campuses nationwide. He advocates for more robust actions to address and mitigate these tensions. The rally saw a significant turnout with about 300 pro-Palestine demonstrators at the university’s main mall, prominently displaying Palestinian flags and anti-police sentiment, further complicating the interactions between different student groups and law enforcement.
The situation reflects a growing concern about the safety and well-being of Jewish students on campuses, especially against the backdrop of international events. While the protest was ostensibly about Palestinian solidarity, the overt antisemitic actions, such as those experienced by Greenwald, underscore the complex and often hostile dynamics that can pervade such rallies, necessitating a more decisive response from both university leadership and community organizations to uphold safety and inclusivity.
