Berkeley Chancellor Addresses Professor's Tweet, Campus Safety, and Antisemitism

Campus Safety and Jewish Students

• 🎯 Dr. Rich Lyons, Chancellor of UC Berkeley, acknowledges that while most Jewish students feel safe, some do not.
• ⚠️ He attributes this lack of safety to antisemitism present in society, which is reflected on campus.
• 🤝 The Chancellor commits to striving to ensure all Jewish students, and indeed all students, feel safe on campus.

Antisemitic Incidents and University Response

• ❓ When questioned about a Jewish student's home being robbed with a note referencing "Free Palestine," Dr. Lyons stated it predated his time as Chancellor but presumed it was investigated.
• 🔍 The lack of a stated outcome from such investigations was highlighted as a concern.

Professor's Tweet and Interpretation

• 🗣️ Representative Lisa McClain questioned Dr. Lyons about a tweet by Professor Omri Makram, who stated, "I could have been one of those people who broke through on the siege on October 7th."
• 💬 Dr. Lyons interpreted the professor's statement as a "celebration of the terrorist attack on October 7th."
• 🎓 Despite this interpretation, the professor was described by the Chancellor as a "fine scholar," a point of contention for the representative.
• ⚖️ The representative expressed concern that a "fine scholar" could "spew hate" and make students feel unsafe.