Report

Anti-Semitism at UC Irvine

Read the full, comprehensive report: Anti-Semitism at UC Irvine (PDF).

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) has become a center for anti-Semitic activity in recent years. Much of this activity has been organized by the Muslim Student Union (MSU), a vocal student group at UCI, which is responsible for staging large events every spring featuring virulently anti-Semitic speakers.

In July 2010, the MSU was suspended for one year because of its involvement in disrupting a speech by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren in February of that year.  The university's investigation into the matter uncovered evidence that MSU organized a calculated demonstration at Ambassador Oren's speech that was in violation of university policy against disorderly conduct, obstructing university activities, furnishing false information and other campus policies. Eleven students—9 from UCI and 2 UC Riverside—were arrested at the time. The group was eventually only suspended for the Fall 2010 semester.  

Since its reinstatement, the MSU has shown no signs of dialing down its rhetoric and activity. In May 2012, Amir Abdul Malik Ali was invited to speak as part of the group’s “Palestine Liberation Week” on campus. Malik Ali, who had previously delivered anti-Semitic speeches on campus in years past, used the platform to accuse Zionists of orchestrating the financial collapse and condemn UC president Mark Yudof as a “Zionist Jew” who supports the “apartheid state of Israel.” Malik Ali also responded to a question from the audience about Israel being the Jews’ homeland with, “ya’ll came from Europe...you gotta go back.”