Israel’s ambassador to Washington was heckled throughout much of a speech Feb. 8 at U.C. Irvine, leading to the arrest of 12 protesters — including the president of the campus chapter of the Muslim Student Union — for disturbing a public event. The students were released but may face misdemeanor charges or university disciplinary hearings.
The ambassador, historian Michael Oren, came to the university to address an overflow crowd of more than 600 students, faculty and community members on the subject “U.S.-Israel Relations: A Historical Perspective.”
He was interrupted 10 times by boisterous hecklers and dozens of jeering students before the anti-Israel protesters walked out en masse to stage a demonstration outside.
U.C. Irvine has been a flashpoint for the Israel wars on American campuses for years.
Security was tight on campus, where the Muslim Student Union has been extremely active in staging anti-Israel protests, and where multiple clashes and unrest between anti- and pro-Israel demonstrators have occurred at public events.
With rumors circulating of plans to disrupt Oren’s speech, university officials spoke to Muslim Student Union members before the event in an attempt to ensure civil discourse, according to Shalom Elcott, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation Orange County.
The Muslim student group had issued an e-mail earlier in the day condemning Oren’s presence on campus. Signs at the entry to the ballroom where Oren was to speak stated that no signs, posters, banners or flyers would be allowed inside.
The New Jersey native and best-selling
author of two authoritative books on the Middle East, currently on a lecture tour of the West Coast, was less than two minutes into his talk when the first heckler jumped up and shouted, “Propagating murder is not an expression of free speech,” followed by thunderous applause and cheers from protesters seated in groups throughout the audience.
Oren continued to talk, only to be interrupted every few minutes by another protester and more cheering and boos.
By the third interruption, police began escorting individual protesters out of the room. Opponents of Oren’s speech could be seen text messaging and using their cell phones to document the events.
Mark Petracca, the moderator and chair of the school’s political science department, urged a halt to the interruptions.
“This is no way for our undergraduate students to behave,” a visibly upset Petracca said from the podium, calling for respect and civility. “Shame on you.”
Petracca and the school’s chancellor, Michael Drake, said they were embarrassed on behalf of the university.
“We do not value heckling; we do not value those who do not share our values of respect,” Drake said. “The principles that make us a great university have been violated this evening.”
However, the Zionist Organization of America condemned Drake for “enabling an anti-Semitic/anti-Israel atmosphere on his campus over a period of years.” The ZOA statement also charged Drake with a “longstanding failure to take action against the Muslim Student Union for the group’s repeated infractions, which paved the way” for this week’s events.
After the fourth interruption Oren walked off the stage, as university officials admonished protesters for their behavior. He returned nearly 20 minutes later, asking for a show of hospitality, which he said typifies Middle East culture. When dozens more protesters stood up and left the room as a group several minutes later, Oren told the few remaining audience members that he wished his detractors had stayed because he felt they needed to hear what he had to say.
Shouts and chanting could be heard from the street as Oren resumed his presentation uninterrupted.
“Every time there’s an event they’re opposed to, they disrupt it,” said Pam Chozen, a Laguna Beach resident who said she felt concerned for her personal safety. “No one from the other side would think of disrupting an MSU event.”