The [Organization] is currently under a federal investigation following a disruption caused by pro-Palestine demonstrators at an event featuring a former member of the Israel Defence Forces on February 26th.
The event, titled “Israel at War: Combat the Lies,” was set to be addressed by Ran Bar Yoshafat, a former IDF member and lawyer, focusing on Israel’s “international legal challenges.” The event was sponsored by Bears for Israel, Tikvah, Club Z, and the Israeli Consulate for the Pacific Northwest.
The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights initiated a probe into the matter, referred to as a “shared ancestry” investigation, just over a week after the event transpired.
While the Education Department typically refrains from commenting on such matters, a spokesperson disclosed that the investigation pertains to the occurrences of February 26th.
Following the protest, partly organized by Bears for Palestine, a group at the University of California, Berkeley, Jewish students reported multiple instances of violence.
In response, UC Berkeley administrators announced the commencement of a criminal hate crime investigation, prompted by reports of physical battery.
The administrators condemned the protests as “unacceptable” and not in line with the principles of the First Amendment. They emphasized their commitment to understanding the full scope of the events and holding those responsible for any legal or policy violations accountable.
Danielle Sobkin, an event organizer and co-president of Bears for Israel, recounted disturbing incidents during the protest, including physical assaults and antisemitic remarks directed at Jewish students.
Sobkin highlighted a pattern of hostility towards Jewish students on campus, expressing concern over the escalation of such behavior.
The demonstrators successfully disrupted the event, preventing Yoshafat from speaking, vandalizing windows, and obstructing the entrance with a gathering of approximately 200 protesters.