A man masking his identity with a keffiyeh climbed a menorah on the New Haven Green on Sunday and placed a Palestinian flag on the structure. In the video, which was shared widely on X over the weekend, a group of people can be heard telling him not to commit the act of desecration.
Anti-Israeli protesters from Yale University attack a Jewish Hanukkah menorah in New Haven, Connecticut.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/FUKK5CQEOm
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 10, 2023
In the immediate aftermath, Yale University, which has buildings across the street from where the menorah was erected, released a statement, saying it “condemns in the strongest possible terms the desecration of a menorah on the New Haven Green during the religious holiday of Chanukah.”
“The placement of a Palestinian flag on the menorah conveys a deeply antisemitic message to Jewish residents of New Haven, including members of the Yale community,” the message reads. “Yale’s regulations reach conduct occurring on or off campus that imperils the integrity and values of the University community, and if such conduct is committed by a member of the Yale community, we take action.”
The statement also says that the university has asked the New Haven police department to conduct an investigation; Yale indicated it may do so on its own and “will update this statement as the investigation continues and further relevant information becomes available.”
The organizations that led the protest in New Haven at which the masked man defaced the menorah — including the University of Connecticut chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Yalies4Palestine — issued their own statement, saying they “unequivocally condemn the antisemitic action of an individual unaffiliated with any of the groups present who climbed a menorah and placed a Palestinian flag on it.”
“Our movement for Palestine is one of social justice and equality,” the statement continues, “which has no room for antisemitism. The only way forward toward Palestinian liberation is together in coalition and in solidarity.”
The groups’ stated opposition to antisemitism appears to be a newfound concern. Two days after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Yalies4Palestine posted on its Instagram page that it “stands in unwavering support of the Palestinian people’s right to resist colonial oppression,” holds “the Israeli Zionist regime responsible for the unfolding violence,” and denounces “the Israeli occupation, apartheid system, and its military rule.” It has also posted graphics including signs that say “when people are occupied, resistance is justified,” “by any means necessary,” and “from the River to the Sea.”
Another organization involved, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), has its own history. According to the Anti-Defamation League, AMP “has its organizational roots in the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP), an antisemitic group that served as the main propaganda arm for Hamas in the United States until it was dissolved in 2004. Since its creation in 2005, AMP continues to work closely with some former IAP leaders who currently hold positions as AMP board members.”
UConn’s SJP chapter, for its part, has disseminated flyers emblazoned with the words “resistance isn’t terrorism — victory to Palestine” on its campus and held events featuring slogans such as “resistance is not terrorism” and “from the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.”