Affiliates of the UC Santa Barbara MultiCultural Center published a statement on the newly-created anonymous @our.mcc Instagram account on Feb. 29 in light of Monday’s gathering and signage posted at the center.
The statement follows pro-Palestine student activists posting signage during an informal gathering at the MultiCultural Center (MCC), expressing Palestinian solidarity and dissent against university administration, Associated Students leaders and Zionism. The incident resulted in the University temporarily suspending the MCC, community backlash and several social media accounts doxxing MCC faculty, staff and affiliated students.
University temporarily suspended the MCC, community backlash and several social media accounts doxxing MCC faculty, staff and affiliated students. Hanz Herman / Daily Nexus
The signage also prompted the University to release a statement two days later, announcing the UC’s first Systemwide Office of Civil Rights and responding to recent campus “antisemitic incidents.”
“We want to emphasize the history of, and within, the [MultiCultural Center] to correct the widespread misinformation on campaign maligning the labor and contributions of MCC’s student workers, social justice organizations, and pro-Palestine voices,” the statement read.
The @our.mcc account did not immediately respond for comment. The statement was not signed. The Nexus is working to confirm who the account represents.
The statement initially emphasized that the “driving force” of the MCC is those who gather in the space and the center’s student workers, expressing discontent with university administration.
“In the last few years, the MCC has grossly failed to provide this safety as specific administrators have actively exploited and repressed its student workers,” the statement read.
“During a time when anti-Palestinian rhetoric is rampant in the media and our campus, the neglect of the UCSB Administration has led to repeated instances of doxxing, intimidation tactics, retaliation, and threats that harm and endanger pro-Palestine voices and bodies,” the statement continued.
On Feb. 24 and 25, the MCC held its annual Social Justice Conference (SJCON), and attendees spent the final hour of SJCON participating in “art making, songs, and an unwavering call for the liberation of Palestine,” according to the statement.
“The last hour of SJCON was spent truly embodying the spirit of the MCC’s roots. Attendees reaffirmed the intersectional and interconnected autonomies of their bodies and their movements,” the statement read.
“In a space that claims to address a ‘myriad of social justice issues,’ advocating for Palestine and the safety of Palestinians should never have been an internal point of contention,” the statement continued.
The MCC affiliates clarified the “Zionists not welcome here” signage as a “condemnation of the 75+ years of occupation and ethnic cleansing legitimized by an extremist political ideology.” Associated Students President Tessa Veksler publicly condemned the poster, gaining support from other pro-Israel social media accounts as well as public figures like Mayim Bialik.
“We understand that the poster that said ‘Zionists not welcome here’ was distressing and needs contextualization,” the statement read. “Our condemnation of Zionism addresses the current incarceration of women, men, and children without charge or trial, the blockade of land, water, air, and fuel, and the genocide of Palestinians to maintain and grow an ethno-nationalist state.”
On Feb. 26, the space became “hostile” following students occupying the space in protest against the “artwork on the walls” and “reaffirm[ing] their positionality as Zionists in occupying the space,” according to the statement.
“Pro-Israel students began filming other students and the walls, and loudly threatened to tear the posters and artwork,” the statement read. “As other MCC-affiliated students gathered and word spread, others arrived to ensure that vulnerable student workers weren’t alone in facing this hostility.”
The statement acknowledged an instance of antisemitic commentary from the @ucsb.mcc Instagram account and clarified that the comment has been “falsely pinned” on one MCC professional staff member who remained in the building during Monday’s events for support. On Monday, the @ucsb.mcc Instagram account commented under its post, “back to Poland or the USA tbh…..,” in response to a comment stating “hi, if palestine is freed from the river to the sea, where will the jews go?”
The statement also described instances during Monday’s gathering where an attendee cut off a microphone being used during a “student-led de-escalation attempt” and students of color “facing bullying and harassment from Zionist students.”
“On the day of the event, there were many additional instances of misogyny, transphobia, classism, racism, and overall bias hurled toward allies, staff & students,” the statement read. “This was a continuation of a pattern of negligence and repression despite countless meetings and hours of dialogue on the intersecting pressures students have been facing on our campus.”
The statement also acknowledged pro-Palestine leaning Instagram users who responded to Zionist-identifying students negatively commenting on a post of the MCC’s annual Social Justice Conference on Sunday, calling the engagement “regrettable” and the subsequent escalation of discourse on Monday “contributing to a tense environment.”
“As a result, comments and posters were made that perpetuated antisemitism and contained harmful tropes about Jewish people, which is not in line with our values,” the statement read. “We cannot reduce antisemitic statements, comments, or actions, as being impulsive, inevitable, or as a small part of the greater action. We must be disciplined in our comment to collective liberation.”
The statement expressed disapproval of social media accounts doxxing MCC staff and student staff, calling the action a “common strategy of intimidation for pro-Israel media handles” and a subsequent failure of campus and MCC leadership to protect these students.
“The students affected by the doxxing were not involved in the aforementioned acts,” the statement read. “We recognize how allies in pursuit of Palestinian liberation contributed to a charged environment and acknowledged the harm caused.”
The statement reiterated the MCC’s mission toward “collective discipline and commitment” and Palestinian liberation.
“Palestinian liberation is interwoven with liberation for all of us,” the statement read. “We stand in solidarity with those resisting colonialism, apartheid, ethnocide, genocide, racism, and settler violence.”
“We have many struggles. We are one movement. We will shape a better MCC. Free Palestine.”
The Nexus will continue reporting on this topic as more information becomes available.
“…the space became “hostile” following students occupying the space in protest against the “artwork on the walls” and “reaffirm[ing] their positionality as Zionists in occupying the space,” according to the statement. “Pro-Israel students began filming other students and the walls, and loudly threatened to tear the posters and artwork,”…”
Zionbist bullying, par for the course.They learn it in the IDF wherrre they are taught to set up checkpoints to harass Palestiniaans. They come back to USA, taking advantage of their dual passports, and spread that attitude.
No need for MCC to apologize.
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