Sen. Sampson Condemns Weekend of Violent Anti-Israel Protests at Yale

State Sen. Rob Sampson (R-Wolcott) today condemned the violent anti-Israel actions of students and other protestors involved in the unlawful occupation of Yale University’s campus, which began last week and intensified over the weekend. During the occupation, hundreds of students and protestors disregarded multiple directives from Yale administration to vacate Beinecke Plaza. There, an anti-Israel activist assaulted a Jewish student, and others took down the American flag at the plaza. After Yale Police stepped in to disperse the crowd early Monday, hundreds more gathered to block the major Downtown New Haven intersection of Grove Street and College Street, which is also a crime.

“What we saw over the weekend should sicken every reasonable Connecticut resident. I condemn these reprehensible acts of antisemitism and the ideology behind them. Sadly, violence and antisemitism against Jewish people on college campuses is becoming the norm across the country. Why? Who is enabling this? Why did it take the Yale administration days before it finally took action to secure its campus and protect Jewish students? What will the consequences be for those involved?

“Yale administrators have failed their basic duty to keep students safe by not promptly and decisively enforcing their own campus rules. This is unacceptable. Can you imagine if this amount of violence and hate was directed at any other group on campus? I support free speech, but it does not provide you with cover to attack others based on their religion, race, or other category. Thank you to Yale Police for intervening today to restore law and order. Anyone found guilty of participating in this unlawful activity today or over the past weekend should face the fullest possible consequences, including expulsion and/or criminal charges,” he said.

These incidents at Yale are not the first display of anti-Israel rhetoric in New Haven. In January, pro-Hamas agitators interrupted a Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce breakfast event on Southern Connecticut State University’s campus, as Gov. Ned Lamont prepared to deliver remarks. The disruption went on for several minutes until police removed the protestors.