Princeton event with former Israeli PM shut down by anti-Israel agitators
An event on the Princeton University campus Monday night featuring former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett ended early when protesters interrupted at various points and a fire alarm was set off, prompting those in the room to break out into spontaneous song.
The event hosted by the university’s Center of Jewish Life (CJL) in 10 McCosh Hall saw protesters shouting down Bennett before walking out, as well as a disruption by an individual who doesn’t appear to have an affiliation with Princeton, school officials said.
Princeton sophomore Max Meyer, who attended the event, called on university administrators to hold the students who participated in the protest accountable.
“As a sophomore, last night was the first time that I’ve seen a speaker event fully shut down by a student group-led protest,” Meyer told Fox News Digital. “Anti-Israel agitators committed criminal acts in a concerted assault on the free speech of an invited guest at our university.”
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A protester is seen shouting at former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at Princeton University on Monday. (Max Meyer/X)
CJL Director Rabbi Gil Steinlauf moderated the event, which was attended by around 200 students, the Daily Princetonian reported. About 20 minutes into the off-the-record discussion, anti-Israeli protesters stood up and began chanting, “Naftali Bennett, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide,” according to video footage taken from inside the hall.
Sayel Kayed, who sat near the front, began shouting at Bennett: “15,000 children killed, what do you say to that?” according to a video on his Instagram in which he bragged about disrupting the discussion.
“Instead of whining for the past 80 years and building your own future, you have focused on killing the Jews. It’s time the Palestinians stopped whining,” Bennett replied, according to a video of the exchange posted on social media.
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Anti-Israel protesters at Princeton University leave an event on Monday night. (Max Meyer/X)
After several disruptions, a fire alarm went off, resulting in confusion among the attendees, who then began singing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, and other ballads before the event concluded. Rabbi Eitan Webb, the director of the Scharf Family Chabad House at Princeton University, said he will continue to invite guests to the school despite the protests.
“Not only was the community not deterred, the community was energized,” he told Fox News Digital of the spontaneous singing at the end of the event. “It’s relevant that our narrative be framed by us and not by the negativity of others.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber said he was “appalled” at reports of antisemitic language used during Bennett’s visit.
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Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber told Fox News Digital he was “appalled” at reports of antisemitic language used during Bennett’s visit. (Getty Images)
“Such behavior is reprehensible and intolerable. The University is investigating and will pursue disciplinary measures as appropriate, to the extent any members of the Princeton University community are implicated,” he said.
“I am also sorry the event was periodically disrupted by protesters inside McCosh Hall. We know that at least one disruptor inside the event was not a member of our community and we are taking action against him,” Eisgruber added. “I am grateful to Rabbi Steinlauf, Rabbi Dounn, Rabbi Webb, and the CJL staff for their efforts in ensuring much of the event could continue. Mr. Bennett, like all speakers on our campus, had every right to be heard without disruption and to be treated with dignity. I have expressed my regrets personally to Mr. Bennett and thanked him for visiting our campus.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CJL.
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Meyer called on the university to better enforce free speech rules on campus to ensure all sides can be heard.
“The university has not done enough to enforce its own time, place, and manner restrictions on speech, which exist for the exclusive purpose of protecting the free speech of those whose voices might not be the loudest,” he said. “I think what we saw last night was a dereliction of the university’s duty to ensure the free speech of those who follow the rules and the law.”
“I am grateful that President Eisgruber has answered our call for the University to apologize to Prime Minister Bennett for having failed to provide an open forum for him to share his insights,” he added.
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