11 students arrested after disrupting Israeli ambassador's speech at UC Irvine

Soon after Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren began his speech Monday night at UC Irvine, the first student rose.

“Michael Oren, propagating murder is not an expression of free speech,” the student in a gray hoodie yelled.

The remainder of his words were drowned out by an uproar of cheering and clapping from students sitting around him before he was led away by university police. It was the first of 10 interruptions throughout the speech, and by the end of the night, 11 UC Irvine and Riverside students were arrested and cited for disturbing a public event.

The students were held in a nearby room until Oren finished his speech and were then released, said university spokeswoman Cathy Lawhon.

They could face misdemeanor charges as well as university disciplinary hearings that could result in suspensions or dismissals, Lawhon said.

After the fourth disruption, Oren took a 20-minute break before he returned.

“I’ve spent most of my life living in and studying the Middle East and one of the great and eternal cultural facets of the Middle East is hospitality...even if you do not agree with them, even if they’re ostensibly your enemy,” Oren remarked, before continuing his speech. “I’m your guest here and I’m asking for the Middle Eastern hospitality for your guest, I’ve come into your house.”

The speech about U.S.-Israeli relations was organized by several organizations and campus departments “to address tough issues in an open kind of way,” said Shalom Elcott, president and chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Orange County.

Before the speech, Elcott said his group was aware of an orchestrated campaign in which he said students were assigned a position and statement to read in order to disrupt the ambassador’s speech. The group notified campus police.

Elcott and others blamed the university’s Muslim Student Union for the disruptions. A statement posted on that group’s website Monday condemned the university for inviting a man who “took part in a culture that has no qualms with terrorizing the innocent, killing civilians, demolishing their homes and illegally occupying their land.”

The union, however, denied responsibility for the protests.

“It was not put on by the MSU, but rather by students acting on their own,” said Hadeer Soliman, union spokeswoman. Only one of the students arrested could be reached, and he declined to comment.

During the speech, both the UC Irvine chancellor and the political science department chair chided the protesting crowd and called the disruptions embarrassing.

“Shame on you,” Chairman Mark Petracca yelled at one point.

But despite the constant interruptions, there was also a strange routine to the disturbances.

A student would stand up and yell his statement followed by both cheers and jeers from the crowd. Then, as if on cue, he would make his way to the aisle where waiting police officers led him out of the room.

“They were very cooperative, they rose, they spoke and they began to leave their seats,” Lawhon said. “Because they had been told what would happen if they did this.”

-- Raja Abdulrahim

Comments

[Age of Nepotism]

“I’ve spent most of my life living in and studying the Middle East and one of the great and eternal cultural facets of the Middle East is hospitality...even if you do not agree with them, even if they’re ostensibly your enemy,” Oren remarked, before continuing his speech. “I’m your guest here and I’m asking for the Middle Eastern hospitality for your guest, I’ve come into your house.”

What a betrayal to America. He was born in America. He does not view this place as his home but only the cash grab land of opportunity for the ideals of Zionisms.

The problem is the government and policies that Michael Oren represents have already over stayed its welcome in the middle east. Michael Oren is not happy with the borders given to him by the international community and UN in 1948. Nor the borders that the Zionist grabbed and invaded in 1967 war.

Michael Oren have no understanding of middle eastern hospitality when he disregard the homes and lives of millions of Arabs and Palestinians by conducting Ethnic Nepotism in the region. Why not move back to United States Michael Oren and be happy with your Amercian Citizenship instead of taking our hard earned tax dollars to support your unlawful land grab ambitions half way across the world away?

Stop committing war crimes against innocent civilians and the United Nations. Your government does not even respect the UN an organization that gave your zionist movement the right to exist. You expect hospitality as a response to war crimes? Show some humanity in your actions instead of constant hostility towards the world around you. You and your cousin Ahmadinejad have much in common. Both regimes are based on religious theocracy and hate.

As a proud Iranian-American I am disgusted by the US support for the apartheid regime of Israel.
Vahid Razavi
Author
The Age of Nepotism.

[jane]

I am very sympathetic to the Jewish people's cause and history. But they are punishing the wrong people. Why not take a piece of land from the German people who were the ones that actually instigated and condoned the Holocaust?

[wendy]

LA Times was being "politically correct" saying 11 students were arrested... these students all had one thing in common & that point was avoided. It was very easy for the Muslim Student Union to deny their part as a group in the protest, however I would imagine that the majority of the protesters were member of this group nonetheless!!!

[Roger]

Obviously, they knew that the concequences would be inconsequential.
EXPEL them!

[Bravo]

I applaud the students for voicing what they believe without violence. Israel is not a "polite" nation and Michael Oren should not have been surprised at this type of civil protest.

[garagehero]

All I can say is, this is a tricky matter. The justifications and raison d'etre for both sides in this conflict are rife with hypocrisies and duplicity....both sides have negotiated in bad faith....both sides have used sheer terrorism in the pursuit of their aspirations. And , so far, ultimately, both sides have refused to
engage in a meaningful dialogue. There is nothing wrong in Oren's speaking at Irvine, and I find nothing wrong with the students protesting his speech, after all, this America. Didnt Mark Twain once say, (and I paraphrase loosely because its been years since I read the quote), "In America, you have the right to say anything, and you also have the right to get knocked down for saying it".

[Susan]

These terrorists-in-training should thank Allah for a world-class education. UCI has long been tolerant of vicious anti-semitism and hatred; the administration should finally discipline these students and start to restore its tarnished image.

[another non zionest jew]

As a very proud Jew I would've been happy to be arrested with the other 11 people, speaking out against injustices is very key to our American society, and when Israel continues to go against any peace process it's very important that people speak up.

[Ryan]

I went to UC Irvine, studied Political Science with a focus on middle east conflicts, and had Prof. Petracca for several classes. I am very familiar with the Muslim Student Union and how disruptive they can be.

First of all, to you 1st Amendment junkies, you have to realize that the 1st is not inviolate. There are some things you CAN"T say. Also, you're free to express your own ideals, but there's a time and a place for it. Don't like the message? Then organize a rebuttal speech by an individual you support. Don't make a mockery of the system by being disruptive. That's the same mindset the Palestinians use. Rather than work within the system, they choose to make their own rules, and that's why they get treated like unwanted foster children by the International community. Sometimes the surest sign of intelligence and integrity is knowing when to keep your mouth shut despite your "right" to speak.

As for those who criticize Israel, I've been there and can say that there are MANY Arabs who live and work peacefully there. The Israelis have tried to co-exist, but Palestinians want the whole swath of land to themselves. The intifadas have shown the Palestinians are unable to have civil dialogue. Arafat embezzled billions of international aide. When the Israelis built their wall, they turned on each other. Yeah...real civilized. That's part of the reason other Muslim countries (Egypt, Syria, Jordan) don't want the Palestinians either.

As for the Foreign Military Aide the US provides Israel, you'd be surprised how little we actually give, relative to the cost of running an actual military. It should also be noted that although Israel receives the most funding, Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan (all Muslim countries) all receive nearly as much funding as Israel.

Overall, it's a hot topic that, from my research, people tend to argue off emotion. That's fine. But as the hecklers in the article found out, there's a time and a place.

[Chase]

Proud of these students...Remember folks they are allowed to voice their opinion and they did so and walked away into handcuffs willingly...."“I’ve spent most of my life living in and studying the Middle East and one of the great and eternal cultural facets of the Middle East is hospitality...even if you do not agree with them, even if they’re ostensibly your enemy,” Oren remarked, before continuing his speech. “I’m your guest here and I’m asking for the Middle Eastern hospitality for your guest, I’ve come into your house.”.....Then go back to the middle east if thats what you want...At least those that disagreed with you didn't blow themselves and everyone around them to smitherines! They spoke their mind and then left!

[Worried]

Great! Now all the strife and discord of the Middle East is being played out in American College campuses? That's what we need - bring all the problems of the world right here to the good 'ole US of A - because, obviously - we don't have enough to worry about. Gee - I can't wait until my kids get into college ... I can just imagine what "ideas" they'll be exposed to ....

[Jim]

I liked the professor who told several of the students who disrupted the speaker that each was "failing" his class.

[Jim Davies]

We are in a state of war with the jihadists. They use suicide b0mbers
because they cannnot get their hands on a nuclear bomb, for example,
that could destroy a large city like NY, CA,or etc. We will be sacrificing
generations of americans for sticking up for our ally Israel. I don't
know what the answer is.

However, jidhadism is world wide and our security, while very good,
will not be able to hold off attacks by terrorists indefinitely.

I respect Jewish people and their plight. But I don't want to sacrifice
my children's children and their children and so on for a cause that
we cannot win.

[Jules]

Fortunately, they only attended with words rather than something more harmful -- physically.
War is not friendly and there will always be casualties. I'd rather be on Israel's side than the other simply because they were not the ones with the radical beliefs who hijacked two planes and brought down the twin towers.

This is not voicing in public, this is disrupting the public. Protesting and picketing outside would have sufficed.

[ABG]

Well, Zionism is a very controversial ideology.

Posted by: Schigolch | February 10, 2010 at 06:51 AM

Is it really? It's been around since the Ottoman Empire, and predates the creation of (among other countries) Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and every nation in Africa.

Zionism is the belief that Jews deserve autonomy within the region that birthed their religion. That's controversial?

I guess it is if you don't believe the Jews deserve a national homeland or that the Arabs deserve a 23rd Muslim based state.

[Alan G]

Removing people from their land and huddling them into encampments is ethnic cleansing. It is illegal and reprehensible. Israel needs to be called out for their actions. Both Arabs and Middle Eastern Jews are Semitic. So be careful about using the term anti-Semitic.

The students disrupted the speech of a representative of the Israeli government.
It is called protest. Just like the people who illegally dumped tea into the Boston Harbor. It was against the law, but it was a protest that changed the course of history.

[Randy]

These students, most of whom have been taught by liberal college "professors", are nothing more than idiots who are spoiled, and have been brainwashed. Where are these student's outcry over the suicide bombings, and the thousands killed by that method? Where is their outcry when the Gaza dogs bombard Israel and cause constant problems that Israel must respond to. Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of spoiled, couched, and brain dead students who think they know it all. Better still, I suggest these arrested pseudo students live in the middle east and under their theocracy.... they wouldn't survive.

[Don]

Today's youths are indeed quite an embarrassment to the rest of this country. They only know how to bully others and force their opinions onto the ears of anybody within earshot. They spout off quasi-facts learned from hap-hazard conversations between whiners and complainers, without so much as bothering to take the time to investigate and research for themselves to find the truth. No manners, no class, no intelligence--today's youth.

[salem]

There are logical and constitutional limits on free speech: when it infringes on the constitutional rights of others. Amb. Oren was at UCI to justify a policy of premeditated murder to steal land, which is a capital crime.

[JH]

If the Arabs put down their arms there would be no war. If the Israelis put down their arms there would be no Israelis.

[JGBr]

@Worried. This is nothing new. American college campuses have always been major centers of debate about national and international issues. That's what's so great about college. You're supposed to be exposed to as many ideas as possible and thus be able to find your own opinions and the truth.

As a college student, what I am worried about is the way in which people are exploring these ideas. How can you treat a visiting dignitary in this way? Stage a massive protest out front, ask hard questions after he speaks, but NEVER LIMIT SOMEONE'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH. This is the United States.

At UCLA we had the same problem. A speaker came from Israel and all of the students who disagreed with him interrupted his lecture and then refused to leave the auditorium. What does this gain? If they had asked the right questions in the Q&A session afterwards they could have made a strong point and actually had the chance to gain the support of other listeners. Instead they made themselves look like intolerant fools and were not able to speak their side.

If people act this way, problems will never be solved. Peace is the ultimate goal.

[kooo]

Remember the "don't tase me, bro" guy? He wasn't even Muslim but they tased and arrested him. They didn't charge him as a terrorist, and I don't see these students as terrorists either. Did that "don't tase me, bro" guy get charged after his arrest?

[JTHC]

I can't believe that people are congratulating these students for exercising "free speech." Speech shouldn't impede others' speech. What if I show up at the next MSU meeting with a bullhorn and shout everyone down as a cowardly murderer? Will you congratulate me on exercising my free speech?

[Kenny]

These terrorists should be expelled. These are the animals that end up killing innocent people with their stupid suicide bombs. Now it's all over the world. Do you people forget 9/11?

[alex]

Good job students, someone needs to stand up to Israeli propaganda. America's havin a recession here, we can't afford to support Israel any longer. Its time we stood up to Zionist aggression.