Anti-Israel Protests at CU Regents’ Homes Lead to Swift Action Calling Out Antisemitism
(June 20, 2024 – Pueblo, CO) — The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado on June 24, 2024 unanimously passed a resolution condemning the anti-Israel protests that took place at the homes of two Regents — Board Chair Callie Rennison on June 1, 2024, in Superior, and Ilana Spiegel on June 17, 2024, in Arapahoe County.
Following heated public comment, members of the board spoke passionately about the
relentless attacks they’ve faced from student protestors whose primary intent is to disrupt
and divide, not bring forward actual solutions. Representative Spiegel, the only Jewish
Regent and a descendant of Holocaust survivors, called the protest at her home “blatant,
brazen, and dangerous antisemitism which we cannot tolerate.” The students claim the
University is not listening to them, but left before giving Regent Spiegel a chance to
respond.
“This has gone way beyond a conversation about the First Amendment. There is a time and
a place for protest, and to bring this level of vitriol and intimidation to the home of elected
officials and their families clearly crosses the line. This resolution is another important step
forward in calling out the protestors for their incredibly offensive behavior and the
antisemitism they continue to spread. As the resolution clearly states, calls for ‘Intifada’ are
calls for violence and genocide of the Jewish people and are antisemetic and racist in
nature. Just as the Town of Superior Board of Trustees led the way in condemnation of this
hate speech, we are encouraged to see the CU Board of Regents take a bold stand,” stated
Stefanie Clarke, co-founder of Stop Antisemitism Colorado.
“StandWithUs is encouraged to see the University of Colorado Regents taking a strong
moral stance against the antisemitic rhetoric promoted by extremist students and outside
agitators on campus. It is our hope that efforts will increase to support Jewish and Israeli
students, who have been subjected to incessant hate on campuses around the world, both
before and since Hamas’s October 7th massacre. We call on other Universities and
municipalities to take a bold stand, and hope this is the first step, rather than their last, in
ensuring a more inclusive, tolerant, and intellectually honest campus climate for all
students,” said Miri Kornfeld, Director of StandWithUs Colorado.
“IAC Colorado commends the University of Colorado for taking a significant step in the right
direction with this resolution, which sends a clear message to groups that time and again
have chosen hate and intimidation of students, professors, administrators and educational
leaders over the peaceful exercise of their first amendment public assembly and discourse
rights in appropriate venues. CU is setting a refreshing example to be emulated by other
educational institutions around the country so that they can get back to offering students
safe and secure learning environments that those students deserve and pay for,” added Tal
Diamant, Chair of IAC Colorado.
“Amidst the skyrocketing increase in antisemitism across Colorado and the country, we’re
extremely grateful to the Board of Regents of the University of Colorado for standing up
against racism and hatred, especially after it came to the doorstep of two Regents, one of
whom is a beloved member of Colorado’s Jewish Community. While anti-Jewish rhetoric is
on the rise, the Board of Regents of the University of Colorado chose to stand by us, and the
Jewish community in Colorado will never forget your courage or your allyship,” said Matt
Most, Acting Director of Jewish Community Relations Council of Colorado
“The University of Colorado’s Board of Regents, in a profound and unified voice, has made it
clear that antisemitism has no place in Colorado, in our schools, and certainly outside our
homes. American Jewish Committee Mountain Region is grateful to CU for its continued
support of Jewish students, faculty, and regents. As we prepare for another school year, we
hope that the message delivered today can be emulated by universities around the country,” said Eran Hazary, Associate Director of American Jewish Committee Mountain Region
“It is reprehensible that anti-Israel activists have protested outside the homes of CU
Regents. Such acts of intimidation should be condemned by all people of good conscience.
We appreciate the CU Regents taking a strong stance against these protestors and their
deplorable calls for the University to divest from Israel,” noted ADL Mountain States
Regional Director Scott Levin.
