University of Vermont protestors hold teach in to spread awareness of antisemitic slogan
At the University of Vermont's student encampment on Friday, protestors held a teach in to discuss a phrase that many deem to be antisemitic.
Students heard from a UVM faculty member who specializes in Islamic studies to analyze the phrase "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free".
That phase, which refers to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, has become a rallying cry for the pro-Palestine movement, and some interpret the phrase as a call for the destruction of Israel.
Earlier this month, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the phrase as antisemitic, as well as a promotion of terrorist groups like Hamas.
The resolution comes at a time when college campuses across the country, including local ones like UVM and Dartmouth College are struggling to define where political speech crosses into hate speech.
The Biden administration also ramped up its response to campus protests over the war, with the U.S. Secretary of Education sending a letter to college and university presidents on Friday condemning incidents of antisemitism on campus.
The letter also expressed concerns about the sharp rise in reports of antisemitism targeting Jewish students. The department is currently offering resources like training and other federal campus safety resources.