Harvard’s president insists the Ivy League school will punish calls for genocide against Jews on campus – a clear reversal from congressional testimony in which he repeatedly refused to condemn overtly antisemitic behavior at the university.
“There are some people who confuse the right to free speech with the idea that Harvard would condone calls for violence against Jewish students,” President Pauline Gay said in a statement on Harvard’s official X account on Wednesday.
“Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group are abhorrent, they have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held accountable.”
A day earlier, during heated testimony to the House Education Committee about antisemitism on college campuses since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Gay refused to answer “Yes” when asked by Harvard alumnus and House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R- NY). whether calling for the genocide of Jews violates the school’s policy against bullying and harassment.
Harvard President Pauline Gay backed away from her testimony Tuesday before Congress, saying Harvard would punish calls for the genocide of Jews. Reuters
“It can, depending on the context,” Gay replied, adding “…Antisemitic rhetoric, when it’s in conflict with behavior that amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation, that’s actionable behavior and we take action.”
But when pressed by Stefanik to confirm with a “Yes” that calling for the genocide of Jews is unacceptable, Gay would not.
“Again, it depends on the context,” the president said.
Harvard has been embroiled in controversy over the past two months as administrators have struggled to deal with pro-Palestinian protesters who have attacked Jewish students and marched with phrases such as “Intifada” and “From river to sea,” both of which are often interpreted as calls for mass violence against Jews.
Harvard University has faced controversy over its unclear response to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. AFP via Getty Images
During his testimony, Gay defended the school’s response as a commitment to free speech.
“I have worked to confront hate while maintaining freedom of speech,” he said. “Speech that incites violence, threatens safety, or violates Harvard’s policies against bullying and harassment is unacceptable.”
The testimony drew criticism as high as the White House.
“It’s unbelievable that this needs to be said: calls for genocide are terrible and against everything we stand for as a nation,” White House senior communications adviser and deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
