Pro-Palestine students, academics being threatened in US
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The president of news watchdog Accuracy in Media, Adam Guillette, who deployed the truck displaying the faces and names tells The Post that his organization “expanded our fight against antisemitism at Harvard”.
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Accuracy in Media deployed a truck with digital billboards to drive around Harvard campus as it displayed the names and images of the students who supported Palestine (Jason Furman/X)
Supporters of Palestine who spoke out against the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip are being threatened in the United States.
The New York Post stated that a "doxxing truck" is circling Harvard University’s campus to expose students who allegedly signed a letter blaming "Israel" for the atrocities on Gaza, and the truck has been displaying students' pictures and standing outside their homes.
Doxxing is the act of publishing someone's private information in order to shame them or make them feel unsafe.
The president of news watchdog Accuracy in Media, Adam Guillette, who deployed the truck told The Post that his organization "expanded our fight against antisemitism at Harvard".
"We only focus on leaders of these organizations rather than members," Guillette said Thursday, adding that the students’ addresses "were very easily publicly available."
The truck’s LED screens displayed the phrase "Harvard’s Leading Antisemites". One homeowner "called law enforcement" according to Guillette who added that "As is always the case, authorities explained that we’re not breaking any laws," and that the aim was that "everyone in the community can learn who the antisemites are among them."
A couple of signs at a Harvard rally to "Free Palestine" yesterday: pic.twitter.com/ibCx52hstS
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) October 15, 2023
He claimed that law enforcement at the scene asked the homeowner "not to threaten the mobile billboard driver".
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The website notes that "This represents the ‘best’ of Harvard," and that the students have "not been disciplined by the university". There is a call-to-action that sends viewers to HarvardHatesJews.com, which urges users to send an email to members of Harvard’s board of trustees.
Harvard President Claudine Gay stated "We do not punish or sanction people for expressing such views, but that is a far cry from endorsing them" after she condemned what she called the "barbaric atrocities perpetrated by Hamas."
The usual 'Go back to where you came from'
Political institutions have been receiving threats as well. Palestinian staff member Kerwin Hall's office found a piece of paper with an anti-Palestinian message, according to an email from American University President Sylvia Burwell on Wednesday.
Posted on AU Students for Justice in Palestine’s Instagram story, the note read "GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM" and "DEATH TO ALL PALESTINIANS!"
Burwell described the note as "vile and dehumanizing" in her email, writing "No act of hate will deter us from supporting community members who are not only feeling the pain and weight of traumatic global events, but also the vulnerability of being subject to hateful acts in our own community."
Burwell added that the University is working with the FBI to investigate the incidents, especially after an incident of antisemitic vandalism last week.
"Anyone found responsible for these acts will be subject to relevant laws, university policies, and appropriate disciplinary actions," she said, noting: "To those who are responsible for the anti-Palestinian and antisemitic acts we have witnessed over the last several days, you do not represent the American University community... We will take clear and consequential action against those found responsible for these threatening acts."
Residences have been hit with harassment as well. A resident of Dearborn, Michigan received a hateful letter Thursday morning that criticized & threatened him for displaying a Palestinian flag outside his home.
Resident Abdalrahman Ramadan opened the letter mailed to his house that said: "If you want to fly the f****ing Palestinian flag, then move back to Palestine! This is the United States of America, and ONLY the US flag should be flown here. Take that f****ing flag, or you'll regret it."
Ramadan voiced his intent to file a police report in response.
