Anti-Israel encampments and demonstrations have become commonplace at universities across the country as the war against Hamas continues. While demonstrators have variously argued that they are protesting Israel, Zionism, “genocide,” or perceived war crimes, at least one speaker at a May 3 Worcester State University rally slipped into open antisemitism.
As part of the program, an unnamed leader of the school’s Muslim Student Association took the microphone to speak and then led the crowd in a prayer. She told the group of about 150 people assembled to respond “amen” to each statement and began to pray.
The overt antisemitism came when the speaker moved from the topic of the war in Gaza to the disputed al-Aqsa Mosque, which sits atop the holiest sit in Judaism, the Temple Mount. She called for its “liberation” and return to Muslim control, failing to note that the mosque is administered from Jordan.
Instead of referring to Israel or Israelis, however, the speaker called, in Arabic, for the mosque to be “liberated from the Jews,” with many in the crowd responding “amen.”
Adiel C., an Israeli who speaks both English and Arabic, translated a recording of the rally. “She’s saying, ‘Allah, strengthen the Muslims in Palestine and Gaza and liberate al-Aqsa from the Jews,’” he said.
“It’s amazing how she changed the words when she switched to English,” Cohen added.
Aside from the demand for liberation from “the Jews,” various signs accused Israel of committing a “Holocaust” and called to “smash Zionism.” The crowd repeatedly chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Zionism is the belief that Jews, like all national groups, have a right to a state in some part of their ancestral homeland.
How many of the demonstrators actually understood what the prayer meant, and how many of those who understood agreed with it, is unknown. Also unknown is the percent of the rally composed of Worcester State students and exactly who organized it. Aside from the MSA, the Independent Socialist Group and members of the Catholic Worker movement were present, as well as students from Clark University, Holy Cross, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Others appeared to be unaffiliated members of the Worcester community. Speakers did not give their names; many in attendance wore masks.
Also present were two city council members: Thu Nguyen, at large, and Etel Haxhiaj, District 5. Neither have publicly commented on the use of the term “Jews” by the speaker. Nguyen publicized the rally and, after it was over, congratulated the organizers on social media.
“I am so proud to have conscious students here in Worcester organizing for Palestine and advocating for a permanent ceasefire and an end to genocide,” Nguyen wrote on Instagram. The protesters demanded that Worcester State completely divest from and boycott Israel; that it call for a ceasefire; that it call for charges to be dropped against anyone arrested anywhere in the current movement against Israel; and for “academic freedom.”
Ironically, several of the speakers demanding academic freedom were part of the group that shut down a March 13 talk at Worcester State by Shahar Peled, an IDF reservist and first responder after Oct. 7. He had come to the college to share his view of what happened that day, but an organized group of students shouted him down. One pulled the fire alarm, causing the building in which he tried to speak to be evacuated.
There were several counterprotesters. including a Jewish brother and sister who carried Israeli and American flags, as well as a Chabad rabbi who walked into the midst of the rally, challenging the protesters.
As of press time, neither the university nor the city councilors present have commented on the antisemitic chants.
This article appeared in The Star under the headline “Antisemitic and Openly Anti-Israel Rhetoric at Worcester State Rally.”
