Grassroots movement delivers nearly 50,000 signatures that called for cancellation of Anti-Semitic SJP conference at UCLA
Although UCLA proceeded with hosting the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) national conference, Stopantisemitism.org movement vows further action to hold the university accountable and announces the establishment of the Center for Combating Hate in America.
November 26, 2018 — The grassroots movement Stopantisemitism.org today delivered a petition with nearly 50,000 signatures to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Chancellor Gene Block, who refused to cancel the antisemitic national conference held by SJP on November 16-18 on campus, despite calls to nix the gathering by U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), by the Los Angeles City Council which approved a special resolution introduced by councilman Paul Koretz, by the City Council of West Hollywood, by nationwide communities, students and activists, and the petition’s 36k+ signatories.
In a letter to UCLA Chancellor Block, Rep. Sherman had warned the university of the legal liabilities associated with hosting the SJP national conference, which welcomed only those who have been “verified and vouched for” by SJP or another anti-Israel campus groups.
Stopantisemitism.org—an initiative dedicated to helping eliminate the growing problem of antisemitism on college campuses and beyond—has affirmed that although it has closed the petition following UCLA’s hosting of the conference the movement’s work on the SJP issue is far from over.
The movement has vowed to continue to work with its strategic partners to hold UCLA accountable for the potential federal, state, and municipal violations it committed by hosting the conference, where chants for an intifada (armed struggle against Jews and Israel) were made publicly.
The diversity of people who signed the petition highlighted that antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, but rather an American problem whose symptoms—hate, discrimination and racism—threaten core principles underlying the country’s values.
“As concerned citizens, we must be proactive in combating the dangers of rising hate and bigotry, which threaten not only Jews, but all Americans,” said Liora Rez, Director of Stopantisemitism.org. “In the wake of the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh—the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history—we can no longer be lame ducks waiting for the next attack. The time is now to be sober, strategic, and strong in fighting against hate originating from radical movements in America.”
For further inquiries please contact Liora Rez at: liora@stopantisemitism.org