Protesters who disrupted Israeli ambassador at UC Irvine charged by prosecutors

The Orange County district attorney’s office on Friday charged 11 defendants with conspiring to disrupt a meeting and a speech by the Israeli ambassador to the United States at UC Irvine last year.

The move comes after about 50 protesters rallied in front of the Orange County district attorney’s office Tuesday. Though some have criticized the students’ method of protest, many said that university punishment was sufficient enough for the “Irvine 11,” as the students came to be known.

In a statement, Orange County Dist. Atty.Tony Rackauckas said the case was filed because of an “organized attempted to squelch the speaker.” He also said the students “meant to stop this speech and stop anyone else from hearing his ideas, and they did so by disrupting a lawful meeting.”

“We must decide whether we are a country of laws or a country of anarchy,” he said. “We cannot tolerate a pre-planned violation of the law, even if the crime takes place on a school campus and even if the defendants are college students. In our democratic society, we cannot tolerate a deliberate, organized, repetitive and collective effort to significantly disrupt a speaker who hundreds assembled to hear.”

The Muslim Student Union, which denied planning to obstruct the speech, was suspended by the university. It was one of the first instances in recent memory in which the school recommended the ban of a student group for an action other than hazing or alcohol abuse. Individual students were also disciplined by the university.

The Feb. 8, 2010, incident sparked a debate about free speech at the campus after a group of students disrupted a speech by Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Oren was shouted down repeatedly, and supporters cheered as students were escorted away by police.

The students are accused of meeting with other members of the Muslim Student Union to discuss options to respond to the speech as far out as six days before the event.

According to prosecutors, students circulated e-mails and held multiple meetings to plan the disruption of the speech. One of the students is accused of sending an e-mail to the MSU-UCI message board announcing that “we will be staging a University of Chicago Style disruption of the Ambassador’s speech.”

Approximately 500 to 700 people had assembled for the meeting, authorities say.

Eight of the defendants are students at UC Irvine and the other three were students at UC Riverside. Each is charged with one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to disturb a meeting and one misdemeanor count of the disturbance of the meeting. If convicted, they could be fined and/or sentenced to probation with community service or six months in jail.

The students will be arraigned March 11 in Santa Ana.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Comments

[Mitchell Young]

I am glad to see a prosecutor finally going after those who consipire to violate of two of our most important rights, the right to free assembly and free speech.

Having said that, I note that in other events, in other juristictions, much more egregious violations said rights have been allowed to go unpunished. At Columbia University, 'Minuteman' leader Wayne Gilchrest was denied the right to speak by students in Hispanic ethnic organizations and others -- they rushed the stage and physically assaulted him. In, I believe, North Carolina Tom Tancredo and other immigration restrictionists were forced to cancel a panel discussion when protestors broke the window of the venue they were speaking at. Recently, the group American Renaissance, which holds the position that whites should advocate for their rights like other ethnic groups do, was denied the right to meet in Charlotte North Carolina when a city councilman conducted a campaign to have a hotel-- which the group had already booked -- cancel their reservation.

I fear it is only those with very powerful backers -- as no doubt the Israeli Ambassador has -- that will have their right to speech protected against this sorts of disruptions.

[David Blackburn]

I don't remember teabaggers being indicted when they disrupted their congressional representatives' town hall meetings in 2009 and 2010.

[bruce]

The DA is simply giving these people more publicity and more opportunity to shine...

Enough already. And by the way, why doesn't the DA spend some time investigating the abuses caused by the other student organizations on campus, such as the Greek systems' constant hazing abuses; degradation and violence against women on campus; and discrimination against minorities on campus, including hatred against Middle Eastern students.

[DecentDiscourse]

Pretty clear what's going on here with this persecution. Oh, did I mis-spell that? Prosecution, I meant. Must have been a Freudian slip. My bad.

[mindchanging]

this is a disgusting abuse of power and misuse of public funds to silence free speech. these students were escorted away after disrupting a speech? that should be sufficient.

just because someone has the right to free expression, doesn't mean we all have to sit silently and listen! we, too, have the power of speech, and it can be used anytime anywhere and under any circumstances to call out injustice, including that perpetuated under the pretense of colonial occupation by an ostensible democracy by Israel.

OC's DA is clearly not a specialist in constitutional law. i can assure all you that a competent judge, if there is one in OC, will throw this case out!

[Banderman]

The picture that accompanies this story just begs for a sarcastic response; which in deference of good taste, I shall resist.

[Michelle]

After the incident happened, I was disgusted by the rude behavior of these students (the manner in which protest was delivered was uncivilized and I would expect more of my UCI peers when representing UCI.) However, lwps is right on when he commented earlier that "criminalizing political protest is the activity of tyrants." It is one thing for the school to suspend the organization for violating school code of conduct (a mere slap on the wrist for naughty behavior) but criminal prosecution by our government for protest? That is absolutely abuse of power. If this truly is the "law of the land" then it must be changed because it is clearly being enforced selectively and is in conflict with the protected freedoms that our Constitution affords us. If you're in favor of this kind of law, then you need to read some history- you might be the next one that it's enforced on. (For the record I'm a Christian white girl with no opinion on middle east relations.)

[Working Stiff]

Comments about deporting Muslim students? Are you serious? A DA trying to making to make a name for himself by throwing the proverbial book at students, ha like that's a new way to boost your political career.

Really folks, America allows for all, whether citizen or not, no matter your creed, or origin to voice your opinion under the first amendment. This case law could be used against the Student KKK or Young Republicans... this sets a bad precedent. We all have to be worried when politicians (that includes judges too) decide to play national politics on a local level.

Unfortunately, many Americans fail to understand the realities of Israel's policies in the mid east and the US's support of those bad policies. Folk we now live in the American empire and things aren't looking good. I would encourage folks to stop the name calling and really read some history... try going to a library, not Borders or Costco, and not propaganda books written by a former cocaine head and low level radio dj name Glen Beck!

[Linda]

Have any of you seen the video of this confrontation by the muslim students (and off-campus) activists? Watch it and the manner in which these fools handled themselves, how embarrassing To disrupt to the point of NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR ANYTHING THIS MAN SAID is a violation of the visitor's rights to speak. Can we allow taxpayer funded, not muslim funded, (who are students there on federal aid anyway because they hide their money) institutions to become violent? Who the hell are these people with their bully tactics? KUDOS to the Orange County DA who has the guts to take on this increasing wave of muslim thug dominated outings who believe they have right to take everyone else's rights to peacefulness and calm living away. Go into your own mosques and stomp and shout and see how far you get you fools!

[Mark]

Great news! You can't be too careful with these muslims. It is a slippery slope from vocal protests to strapping on a suicide vest. Ban them from campus forever!

[libyanOne]

Yes, my fellow Americans, in Muslim countries, they stone you to death for interrupting a public gathering, in fact, they usually chop off your hand and cut your tongue out and serve it to your dog for dinner.

And as another poster intimated, the "Irvine 11" snuck into the country as toddlers in order to help impose sharia here in the land of the brave. I witnessed this myself near the hills of Otay Mesa. Once cannot interrupt a boring and mind numbing lecture, the Founding Fathers, would have a conniption if they were alive today.

All you (mostly) white cafeteria Christians out there who are so scared of the impending conquest of the world by the Muslim horde can rest easy, we Muslims have been so successful in imposing Sharia in our own countries, we're ready to force feed it to the Western nations in the next few years.

Take it easy, Jesus isn't coming back next year and it might shock you to know that most Muslims really and truly want Jesus to return in the flesh, although only God knows when that'll happen.

[Andy]

To - SYED Khundmir - you have to analyze and reflect on the contradictions what you say and what your clearly assume ( wrongly I might add ).

1st America is a wonderful amazing country of enormous freedoms, and liberty and justice, nearly unparalleled in history. You seem to miss that compeletely, and think implicitly that untruths can be passed wrongly as the truth, to justify your own goals. You are almost undeserving of opportunities and freedoms here I might point out, near obvious and ungrateful.

In the majority of the Arab world NO Jews nor few Christians are free from far more onerous persecution, denial of rights, threats, nor freedom from harrassment or violence. Oftentimes seizure of property?

The same you ask for here, is not given by your own people EVER. Arabs and Muslims in the US have enormous freedoms, but the culture of AMERICA is fundmanetally CHRISTIAN ( and I say this as a Jew out of respect to the majority here - which you miss completely ).

And while you might beleive being an unreasonable intolerant and I sdare say bigotted ass to a diplomatic representative of Israel in the US is your right - I think your culture is at times ridiculously unfair to many, even your own people.

It is sad but telling to see Eqyptians throwing rocks at one another for ANY reason. I thought Arabs only threw rocks at Israelis, at least you are fair on that. I have yet to see Israelis throwing rocks at Arabs in any protest? Or firing rockets to the tune of ?20,000 Katushyas or others over years , unprovoked or for any reason but self defense. Israelis merely defend themselves, but that is lost upon your illogic.

Sad, but to truly take advantage of the wonderful opportunities HERE, you have to appreciate and respect the freedoms in front of your face, and that INCLUDES respecting others, which you truly do not do.

I hope you can grow to be sufficiently truthfully self-analytical to understand the wrongs of your mistaken and presumptuous false reasoning.

I hope you can grow to learn the a modicum of respect for others opinions is part and parcel of being a MEMBER of American Society that you presently seem to disdain.

The Statue of Liberty is more than merely a statue, it represents truthfully in tangible form the Ideals of America - welcoming and tolerant ( to reasonable degrees ) but participation is up to each individual.

Bigotry and intolerance of others is not accepted here (certainly not to the degree it is in much of Arab lands), and I hope you grow to realize that to appreciate all what is around us, you might reconsider the wrongs of your immature biased thoughts.

May you heal your emotional wounds in health and happines in the future.

Regards,

Andy

[kirche]

it's interesting to see so mnay posts where the theme is to play dumb regarding student muslim activties to squelch free speech whenever it's an opposing-viewpoint speaker... and if it's an israeli, i'm sure the MSA pulled out all of the stops to prevent an invited speaker from being heard.

most of you posters know that this disruptive strategies are a one-way-street of MSA, and other leftist students, doing anytghing and everything to stop the exchange of ideas they don't agree with.

hy don't you just admit it and stop your ridiculous charade of "disrupting a meeting... is this a crime?!"

[rob]

GOOD ! These are future terrorist

[Mtay]

Oh c'mon Mr. DA, get a life! Protesting is an American right and these kids are exercising it. You're just uncomfortable with WHO they are not WHAT they did.
You should be ashamed of yourself for creating a Gestapo state on campus... Who's gonna know now how to 'properly' demonstrate.

[JAQUEBAUER]

Its about time the jihadists pretending to be students are treated as guests of the California Justice System. Now if only the criminals in CAIR, and the other sleeper cells would get the boot back to their camels , it might show that we are serious about our safety.

[djy]

Haven't these children...ah I mean Students...learned that their behavior has consequences? Good for the OC Prosecutor! If UC Irvine can't teach them a life lesson then its up to the Public to do so. Jail them all.

[Ar]

Those prosecutors are full of crap and they know it!!!

[Ann Common]

In a Muslim country they would have been stoned to death.

[Ann]

Sure looks like selective enforcement to me. If I were a juror, I wouldn't convict.

[charlie]

I hate that free speech is disrupted by a radical group of people who fear that what is said will in contradiction to
their core beliefs...

[CHO]

I take it those of you who think this is an over-reaction have never been to one of these events. It's disgusting how Israeli and pro-Israel speakers are harrassed, threatened, and silenced. Antisemitism is always ugly and needs to be dealt with swiftly. Good on the prosecutors.

[qualtrough]

lwps said it here first, but it bears repeating: Criminalizing political protest is the activity of tyrants.

[sickoffools]

L.A. has lost itself to multiculturism and whites need not apply. These Muslims have no voice for it's always screaming about rights and when one looks at they're own hypocracy and lack of human rights within their own culture and practice, it is they who should remain 'taped' at the mouth. Wake up liberal white folks who've allowed your own protected communities to be over run; keep up your eloborate security systems, your armed guards, large fences and walls; it show the truth about how tolerant you are.

[raleigh55]

I applaud the Irvine 11! Thanks to Rackauckas, he has now given them a real forum to voice their disgust with Israel. This is such an obvious attempt to strike fear into anyone vocally protesting and organizing a counter demonstration. Forget it Rackauckas, you have now mobilized several thousand more students and activists to pickup where the Irvine 11 left off, and I applaud and urge them on to voice their disgust with politics from any country. You sir, are an example of an oligarch with way too much time on his hands.