In October, BDS was characterized by “intersectional” accusations and a variety of assaults on free speech, university and Jewish organizations. Among the most odious were accusations that sexual harassment by disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein proved the connection between gender violence, white supremacy and Zionism. More perversely, one BDS supporter accused Israel of being indirectly responsible for the Las Vegas mass shooting by exporting “assault rifles” to the US.

BDS on campus also focused on disrupting pro-Israel events. Reports indicate that a group of Israeli Arabs visiting the US received threats via social media. At Stanford University, the Hillel chapter rescinded its invitation to the group for unspecified reasons, likely related to safety concerns. The local Chabad chapter then hosted the event. But at the University of Minnesota, a woman was arrested after disrupting the group’s presentation. A similar disruption occurred when the group spoke at a New York-area synagogue.

At the University of California at Berkeley, a talk by lawyer Alan Dershowitz was initially canceled on flimsy procedural grounds, likely motivated by safety concerns. The event was ultimately held but was marred by an antisemitic cartoon attacking Dershowitz in the student newspaper. The university chancellor and the newspaper editor apologized for the cartoon, but there was little further response from the Berkeley community.

BDS-inspired disruptions opposing free speech escalated even more dramatically in October. Campus events that were disrupted included a talk by white supremacist leader Richard Spencer at the University of Florida, a Skype talk at Columbia University by right-wing English extremist Tommy Robinson, and a talk at the University of Michigan by sociologist Charles Murray.

Further, a College Republican meeting at the University of California, Santa Cruz, a discussion of civil discourse at UCLA sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union, and a free speech discussion at Rutgers University were also disrupted. A talk by a Republican state senator at Texas Southern University was protested and then abruptly shut down by the university president.

Read More: Algemeiner