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College campuses across the nation are seeing a surge in radical, pro-Hamas activism, reminiscent of the violent Antifa protests of 2020 and 2021. This brand of activism is not new. It’s structured, militant, and often escalates quickly, fostering environments where, in this case, antisemitism can thrive unchecked. What we’re seeing unfold is a worrying echo of the Antifa-led disruptions during the Black Lives Matter movement, which often spiraled into violence and chaos.
At Columbia University, activists broke into Hamilton Hall, unfurling banners with messaging that declared, “Glory to the martyrs” and “Tortuguita lives, the fight continues” (a reference to accused would-be cop killer Manuel Paez Terán). Students broke into and barricaded themselves in Portland State University’s Millar Library where they stocked up on supplies, planning to stay until they were forced out. And at the University of California, Los Angeles, a Jewish student was denied entry to the path he normally takes to class by masked activists, while a large mob armed with metal pipes and umbrellas (a tool of choice from Antifa because they also can obscure identities).
All of these activists were either wearing black bloc (an all-black “uniform”) or concealing their identities with COVID-19-era masks that made it easier to get away with a crime. And they are supported by radical, young politicians, like Democrat Squad members New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and Michigan Rep.Rashida Tlaib.
This movement has all the hallmarks of Antifa activism. And I should know: I covered the violence that created the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in Seattle. In fact, students at the University of Washington set up a large autonomous zone, inspired by CHAZ, complete with a library, medic’s table and supply depot.
Anti-Israel protesters hang signs from Columbia University in New York City on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
In my book, “What’s Killing America: Inside the Radical Left’s Tragic Destruction of Our Cities,” I detail what I witnessed and learned about Antifa activists by infiltrating their marches, rallies and riots. These campus events follow nearly the same script – a direct copy of the tactics and strategies used to establish Seattle’s CHAZ, which also began with aggressive confrontations with the police, emboldened by progressive lawmakers and escalated with the occupation of public spaces.
The response from law enforcement had been mostly tepid up until Tuesday evening, mirroring past incidents where initial arrests failed to curb the momentum of protests, only emboldening activists further, before decision makers forced the police to hold off on further action.
This was particularly obvious at Columbia University, where weak administrative responses have failed to regain control or even bother to deter further incidents, leading to a large encampment and an occupied Hamilton Hall.
The agitators owned the campus and terrorized Jewish students until, finally, police could do their jobs, clearing Hamilton Hall and the nearby encampment in about two hours. Imagine if they were allowed to do their outstanding work earlier.
VideoThankfully, unlike during the BLM riots, media and Democrat politicians are largely reporting on the violence, rather than pretending it’s not occurring. The media voices on CNN or MSNBC pretending that the police response is overkill are being laughed at. The public knows what’s going on and what needs to be done.
But we shouldn’t think for a moment that this movement is dead. They may just be getting started.
Columbia University students reportedly didn’t resist arrest. That’s not surprising. They want to become social justice martyrs, earning social currency in their group of activist friends for the arrest.
Do you reasonably think they’ll give up after the April 30 arrests? What true consequences will they suffer? They are celebrated by the movement. Moreover, these are often privileged White kids who lean on their wealthy parents for financial support and, on the off chance they’re charged, will have pricey lawyers to get them out of trouble. Others are minority college students who use the arrests to further amplify their claims of victimhood from an oppressive society.
VideoMany of these activists are associated with larger, well-organized groups that have a history of engaging in radical movements. Groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and various Antifa-affiliated organizations are prominent on campuses and are known for aggressive rhetoric and actions.
These groups often operate within broader coalitions that include other progressive and far-left organizations, creating a robust network that can mobilize quickly around the contentious issue du jour. It’s how Antifa was able to use the BLM movement to further their cause. And they have plenty of funding to keep them going.
The ideological backbone of these activists is rooted in anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist and anti-establishment philosophies. They view their activism as a part of a struggle against oppression, in this case equating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with other social justice actions around the world, thus attracting a diverse group of supporters from various causes. But at its core is anarcho-socialism.
They organize specifics on private messaging apps like Signal but radicalize in the open. Platforms like X, Facebook and Instagram allow these groups to share propaganda rapidly and effectively, call for direct action efficiently, and organize protests or occupations with urgency in ways that were not possible just a few years ago.
VideoSocial media makes it considerably easier to recruit lonely and isolated social outcasts, turning them into revolutionaries with a purpose overnight. These platforms are the new digital dive bars for disenfranchised and disenchanted college students and young adults. Joining the ranks of campus activism isn’t just a pastime; it’s their ticket to a club where everyone’s outraged and everyone belongs.
It’s a world where breaking the law feels like an initiation rite, and everyone’s convinced they’re just one protest away from becoming the Che Guevara of their chat group. They’re not just members; they’re martyrs in the making, heroes of their own epic saga, fighting, so they feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.
Whether motivated by a deep-seated, radical ideological belief or the desire to belong, their drive cannot be easily deterred. That means police must be allowed to sustain their pressure on lawless activists, rather than engage in one-and-done actions where arrests are made, only to retreat and allow activists to refocus and reorganize.
At universities across Texas and Florida, administrators, conservative politicians and police chiefs figured out the playbook: smack down unruly activism early and often. It’s a straightforward strategy – apply the rules with gusto and make sure every would-be agitator knows the score.
UNC Chapel Hill students hold up the American flag during a campus protest on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Anti-Israel agitators replaced the American flag with the Palestinian one during the demonstration. (Parker Ali/The Daily Tar Heel)
This firm approach doesn’t just throw cold water on the activists’ fiery plans, blunting any true momentum, but it also sends a crystal-clear message to Jewish students: you are not alone, and we’ve got your back.
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Public officials–and the media –can play a pivotal role. Name these domestic terrorists the way January 6 defendants were named. That they’re college students doesn’t make them immune from the public shaming they absolutely deserve.
They’re wearing masks to avoid scrutiny, and we must not let them get away with it. Outing these malcontents could help disincentivize future recruits from taking to the streets during the next contrived cause.
But also, celebrate the college students who have heroically stood against the antisemitism and anti-American attacks.
Patriotic frat boys at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, made waves after replacing the American flag on the campus’ quad, replacing the sickening image of a Palestinian flag flying in its place. Jewish fraternity members at Arizona State University also took matters into their own hands, dismantling the college’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” when no one else would.
At UCLA and the University of Washington, Seattle, Jewish students and allies filmed the madness so the world could see what these activists are really up to while they whine that their First Amendment rights are being violated. They’re not.
Speaking as someone who’s seen the chaos of an autonomous zone firsthand, let me be blunt: coddling these agitators or tossing feeble threats their way is throwing gasoline on a fire. If you threaten suspension or expulsion, there has to be follow-through. When you tell students to leave an illegal occupation, it can’t come off as a suggestion, but an order. Fail to act decisively, and you’re setting up for a repeat of the Columbia debacle, only it will get much, much worse.
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Jason Rantz, author of “What’s Killing America: Inside the Radical Left’s Tragic Destruction of Our Cities,” is a Seattle-based talk show host on KTTH Radio. Follow him on Twitter @JasonRantz.
