BERKELEY, Calif. — An Israeli lawyer whose speech was disrupted by a violent mob at the University of California Berkeley is scheduled to return to campus this evening. Lawyer Ran Bar-Yoshafat, a veteran of the Israeli Defense Force, will deliver a revised speech at the event, sponsored by Tikvah Students for Israel and other pro-Israel groups, according to reports. Bar-Yoshafat’s new remarks will address the protest that led to the cancellation of his original speech. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators shouted Bar-Yoshafat down, causing campus police to escort attendees out the back door of the auditorium. Bar-Yoshafat expressed his belief that the incident is indicative of a larger issue, stating, “This is Western civilization collapsing because people are not willing to even let me speak.”
The university’s student government has expressed disapproval of Bar-Yoshafat’s return. The Associated Students at the University of California approved a resolution denouncing his statements about Palestinians and called for “protecting Palestinian students and their allies.” The resolution both supports civil protest and cautions against violent and aggressive demonstrations. Despite the opposition, the university has promised to provide security for the event, affirming its commitment to safeguard First Amendment rights.
UC Berkeley has condemned the shutdown of Bar-Yoshafat’s previous speech, referring to the protesters’ actions as “unacceptable.” The university has launched a criminal investigation into the incidents that occurred on the same day, including allegations of physical battering of two Jewish students involved in organizing the event. The university has identified one criminal suspect for trespassing and is investigating other reports of illegal conduct.
Bar-Yoshafat believes that the incident on February 26 signifies a decline in open discourse. He stated, “If you’re not even willing to have a dialogue or discourse, that’s really the end of free speech, which is quite amazing, because the 1964 free speech movement started at Berkeley.”
The Israeli lawyer’s speech at UC Berkeley has generated controversy and opposition from some students, with the student government passing a resolution to denounce his statements about Palestinians. Nevertheless, the university is committed to hosting the event and ensuring the safety of all attendees. The incident has sparked discussions about the importance of free speech and the limits of protest in a university setting.
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