Students claim assaults, antisemitism present on University of Denver campus

DENVER ( KDVR ) — It has been nearly a week since University of Denver officials said they were calling on the pro-Palestinian student encampment to disband, and some students said they feel things outside the encampment have gotten worse.

On Tuesday night, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner sent an email to parents, students and staff about the pro-Palestinian protest.

Part of it read:

… The false emergency call which diverted away important safety resources while vandalism occurred forced an urgent re-evaluation of the encampment as a form of safe free expression. As a result, we’ve lost confidence that the encampment can continue without further compromising operations and safety for all campus members. At an extended and productive meeting with encampment participants today, we informed them that the camp must close and asked them to clear the area voluntarily by 9:00 p.m. on May 21. We have offered our support to the encampment participants as they safely remove belongings. If participants choose not to voluntarily leave, the University will determine appropriate action to disband the camp.”

Chancellor Jeremy Haefner’s letter to the campus community

At around 9 p.m., non-protesting students said nothing was changing.

“They’re obviously not complying and nothing happens,” said DU junior, Jack Fingeroot. “9:30, you know, still nothing’s been happening. The protesters have been getting worse.”

A DU freshman, Jaiden Skinner, said the encampment was also getting rowdier.

“It was just a huge mob. There were like grown, grown adults there,” she said. “I had them come up into my face and try to hit me.”

After a while, Skinner said the security that was present for most of the evening seemed to have left.

“Nothing there. It was just a free-for-all. It was like ‘Lord of the Flies,'” Skinner said. “It was every man for themself.”

Another freshman who was there said he was assaulted.

“I was just walking around with an Israeli flag you know; I wasn’t saying anything hateful toward the camp at all,” said Jack Burkman. “And then I just got shoved really hard.”

He filed a police report and chose not to press charges.

At around 10 p.m., students said they received another email in which the chancellor said they were disappointed the protesters chose to stay, stating:

During our meeting with the encampment student representatives today, we articulated multiple times that there were no plans to have police or campus safety dismantle the encampment tonight. We shared our desire to resolve this through a voluntary and cooperative approach. It was our expectation that the encampment would be dismantled by 9 p.m. and our interactions with the encampment participants indicated that was realistic to expect. We are disappointed that this is not what has happened and that participants chose this path forward, which is serving only to further threaten campus safety and operations.”

Chancellor Jeremy Haefner’s second email

Students, however, noted the language in the second email slightly contradicted the language in the first statement.

“Specific language or not, he still sent out an email saying they had ’til 9 p.m. to disband, otherwise the university would take action. I can’t imagine any other way that would’ve been taken,” Fingeroot said.

Students claim pro-Palestine group has been antisemitic

Since then, some students said they have seen instances of antisemitism increase.

“I had friends who were called slurs directed at Jewish people,” Burkman said.

“They told me that they wished Hamas killed my family, that was terrible,” Skinner said. “They literally were like, ‘They should’ve just bombed them.'”

As of Monday, May 27, the encampment had a fence around it, which the university said was to keep those inside the encampment safe, which led to more frustration among some Jewish students.

“The frustration, really, is that this group of demonstrators are being coddled by the university that is of course embracing their right to free speech,” said DU Rabbi Yossi Serebryanksi. “There’s no perception that there are consequences to their actions, which leaves many in the Jewish community feeling unheard, unseen and unsafe.”

Previously, pro-Palestine protesters said that DU administrators have prioritized “the voices of the Zionist sect of Judaism on campus while restricting staff support to the Jewish students who are currently at the greatest risk.”

In response to these allegations of antisemitism and assaults on campus, a university spokesperson wrote in an email to FOX31 in part:

“The Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX works to promote an environment free from discrimination and harassment in which DU community members can learn, live, and work. EOIX has initiated a review into potential antisemitism in our community and is partnering with a trusted external diversity, equity, and inclusion partner, Grand River Solutions , to help the university conduct this community review. Students with immediate concerns about their environment, faculty, roommate or anyone else involved in their university experience are encouraged to contact Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence for support.”

A DU spokesperson to FOX31

The encampment has been on DU’s campus for over two weeks.

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