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Disparate Treatment of Anti-Israel Protestors?

A report from Amnesty International and the ACLU argues that if universities allowed misbehavior in the past, they must continue to do so.

David Bernstein | 10.8.2026 1:24 PM

Amnesty International USA and the ACLU issued a report last month purporting to document what they describe as an illicit crackdown on "pro-Palestine" expression since October 7. Needless to say, I think the problem has primarily been the opposite, university officials and local politicians and prosecutors being far too indulgent of illicit behavior by Hamasnik protestors, including vandalism, threats, disruptions, harassment and violence.

Be that as it may, the report makes a big to-do over the fact that universities have cracked down on illicit behavior by anti-Israel activists in ways that constitute disparate treatment. In particular, the report suggests that many universities that have a history of being extremely lax about disciplining rule-breaking student protestors in other contexts have been much harsher toward anti-Israel protestors.

There is some truth to that conclusion, but I don't find the........

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