Image source:
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-797210
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Click here to view the altered version (not published by Students for Justice In Palestine) of this poster referred to in the article and Professor Chemerinsky's open letter
EXCERPT
Statement from Dean Erwin Chemerinsky - Berkeley Law
04/10/2024
The week before the dinners, there was an awful poster on social media and bulletin boards in the law school building of a caricature of me holding a bloody knife and fork and with blood around my lips, with the words in large letters: “No dinner with Zionist Chem while Gaza starves.” I never thought I would see such blatant antisemitism, with an image that invokes the horrible antisemitic trope of blood libel and that attacks me for no apparent reason other than I am Jewish. Although many complained to me about the posters and how it offended them, I felt that though deeply offensive, they were speech protected by the First Amendment. But I was upset that those in our community had to see this disturbing, antisemitic poster around the law school.
Source:
https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/statement-from-dean-erwin-chemerinsky/
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EXCERPT
‘The Antisemitism Is Absolutely Disproportionate’ - Politico
04/14/2024
Let’s start with the protest and confrontation at Dean Chemerinsky’s home in Berkeley. Do you think that the students stepped over the line by interrupting this dinner? Did the dean or his wife, Professor Catherine Fisk, step over the line in shutting down their remarks?
The students overstepped the line by disrupting a purely social event at a private home that was intended to celebrate the collective accomplishments of all the third-year law students. They telegraphed their opposition by calling for a boycott [in advance of the event] — that was fine, that was completely within their rights. But they did it in a horrific way, by employing an antisemitic caricature of Dean Chemerinsky.
What’s interesting is Dean Chemerinsky is a nationally renowned First Amendment expert. And even though he was offended and hurt by the caricature, he defended their right to employ it. He has been the most consistent protector of First Amendment rights of students and student protests as well as others, even when he’s the target of it.
Source:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/14/a-california-regent-confronts-the-limits-of-free-speech-0015210