400% Increase of ‘Reported Hate’ in Colorado Since October 7th
Antisemitic incidents are rising in Colorado, affecting both Jewish and Palestinian communities across the state, Anti-Defamation League's Mountain Region director Scott Levin told media outlets recently.
More than 1,400 Israelis were killed during the barbaric Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th.
The organization says it's recorded a 400% increase in contacts to its office when compared to the same time last year.
“A large group of protesters in support of Palestinians held an emergency rally on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on Saturday.“
The recent Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens have not only caused devastation and heartbreak in many regions within the Middle East, but they have also sparked a concerning reaction here at home on college campuses across the United States – including here in Colorado.
An original statement from the ethnic studies department at the University of Colorado Boulder continues to cause an uproar among that student body and beyond.
The initial message, released on October 22nd, expressed support for Palestinians in light of the terrorist attack by Hamas at the beginning of October. However, the statement was replaced on October 30th with a new one that claimed the previous message had caused some individuals to feel "unsafe."
Scott Levin, the Mountain Region director of the Anti-Defamation League, has reported a 400% increase in contacts to his office compared to last year.
This new statement was met with criticism, with CU Boulder's Chancellor Philip DiStefano clarifying that it does not represent the university's official position on the conflict.
At the state Capitol, two Jewish state lawmakers, Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Yaron (Ron) Weinberg, have also condemned the original statement, labeling it as "antisemitic." And over the last weekend, a protest in Denver organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation's local chapter drew hundreds of individuals calling for a ceasefire and an end to U.S. aid for Israel.
It’s of course not just at CU Boulder where tensions are flaring. Colorado College students held a "teach-in" last month to show solidarity with Palestinians, adding to the growing tension and division on campuses in the state.
Students chant at the conclusion of a lunchtime "teach-in" led by members of state and local affiliates of Students for Justice in Palestine. (Gazette/October 2023)
The backlash against the ethnic studies department's statement is just one example of how American academic institutions are struggling to navigate the Israel-Hamas conflict while trying to avoid offending students, faculty, donors, and alumni. And according to experts, the issue of antisemitism is becoming increasingly prevalent in Colorado. Scott Levin, the Mountain Region director of the Anti-Defamation League, has reported a 400% increase in contacts to his office compared to last year.
Colorado Christian University Chancellor Donald W. Sweeting has even gone as far as to say that the war is exposing the depth of antisemitism in American higher education.
In an opinion piece published by Fox News, he listed several incidents on campuses that he believes are "anti-Jew."
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The situation in the Middle East is a complex and sensitive one, but it should not be used as a platform for spreading hate and intolerance on college campuses. It's time for academic institutions to take a stand against hate and create a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
We must not let the Israel-Hamas conflict divide us here at home – period.