Following a protest by hundreds of pro-Palestinian students at UC Berkeley at a pro-Israel event last month, and the academic institution's lukewarm response, Prof. Ron Hassner - a social sciences lecturer and chairman of Israeli studies, international conflict, and religion department – launched a strike against the institution.
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He brought a mattress to his office on campus and has since been sleeping, eating, and teaching from there via Zoom. He declared that he wouldn’t return home and would remain on campus until the university responded to his demands, mainly concerning the safety of Jewish students on campus.
Back in February, violent riots took at the University of Berkeley in California after attorney Ran Bar-Yoshafat, deputy director of the Kohelet Policy Forum, arrived on campus after being invited by Jewish organizations on campus to speak to students about Israel advocacy during the war.
Dozens of pro-Palestinian activists who heard about the event, titled "Israel at War: Combat the Lies," gathered outside the Zellerbach Playhouse event hall and tried to prevent students from entering. They shouted "global intifada," spit on the students, banged on the doors, and broke windows, which then led to physical confrontations.
None of the rioters were arrested, and the university spokesperson said there weren't enough police present to control the crowd. This isn't the first time Jewish students have been attacked on campus by anti-Israeli students, and many of them admit they’re frustrated with the administration's handling of the issue.
Prof. Hassner, a former Israeli who has been working at the university for 20 years, decided not to remain silent. "Dear students, I have devised a strange plan," he wrote. "I am starting a sit-in protest in my office against antisemitism for the safety of the students. If my students feel they safely can’t cross the campus without facing harassment, then I won’t cross the campus either."
Since the start of the protest 10 days ago, students, parents, alumni, and community leaders from the university have been flowing into his office, bringing food trays with them. On Friday, actor Michael Rapaport also arrived there.
Pizza boxes, bagels and cream cheese, brownies, challah, coffee, and tea litter the professor's small room. One of the students even cooked couscous for him. Some people even sent him food from the U.S. East Coast.
The scene is reminiscent of a Jewish shiva, in a way. Prof. Hassner hasn't shaved since he began the protest, he sits on the floor, and people keep coming in to express their support, but no one is crying, and the guests seem quite cheerful. The office has become a favorite meeting spot for the students, and a safe haven from campus antisemitism. They seem to have longed for it.
Footage of the riots at UC Berkeley
"When I first started the protest, I left the light on in my window so that students could see that I’m in my office at night, and to know that my door is always open, and they can just come in," he told Ynet in an interview.
Prof. Hassner, whose courses are considered popular and always fill up quickly, asked the campus administration to open the Sather Gate, where members of the Justice for Palestine group blocked passage with loudspeakers, tables, and yellow banners, and to mandate training on Islamophobia and antisemitism for student organizations.
One of Prof. Hassner's requests has already been fulfilled: an apology letter from the university was sent to Bar-Yoshafat and he was invited back to the university. The lecture is expected to take place on Monday.