On April 10, 2024, the Dean of Berkeley Law, Erwin Chemerinsky, and his wife, law professor Catherine Fisk hosted a dinner for all graduating law students on the last day of Ramadan. One of the students invited was Malak Afaneh, Head of Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine. Upon starting her speech she was grabbed and yanked by Fisk and told to leave the event.
It is important to note that Afaneh had only just said “Assalamulaikum,” “peace and blessings to you all” in Arabic, before she was forcibly grabbed by Fisk from behind. She was then dragged up the stairs by Fisk as they tried to kick her out. In an email sent after the event, Chemerinsky stated that his wife was “shoved” even though the video proves otherwise.
Chermerinsky has been a vocal supporter of Israel and believes he is the victim in this case as he is Jewish. In response to this event he stated:
“Last week, there was an awful poster, on social media and bulletin boards in the law school building, of a caricature of me holding a bloody knife and fork, with the words in large letters, ‘No dinner with Zionist Chem while Gaza starves,’” he said in the statement. “I never thought I would see such blatant antisemitism, with an image that invokes the horrible antisemitic trope of blood libel and that attacks me for no apparent reason other than I am Jewish.”
Photo: @BerkeleyLawforPalestine on instagram.
Meanwhile, Afaneh has been an active organizer on campus in advocating for an end to Palestinian genocide. Before her speech was interrupted, she wanted to bring up the fact that Berkeley has invested $2 million in the genocide of Palestinians with investments in weapons manufacturers, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BlackRock, and more.
In response to the events, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ stated:
“I am appalled and deeply disturbed by what occurred at Dean Chemerinsky’s home last night. I have been in touch with him to offer my support and sympathy. While our support for free speech is unwavering, we cannot condone using a social occasion at a person’s private residence as a platform for protest.”
UC Board of Regents Chair Rich Leib also stated he condemned the student’s actions and called it “deplorable…. The individuals that targeted this event did so simply because it was hosted by a dean who is Jewish. These actions were antisemitic, threatening, and do not reflect the values of this university.”
Many argue that Afaneh was in the wrong for protesting at someone’s house but it is important to remember that one is always entitled to their First Amendment right. While the owners of the home have the right to turn someone away if they disagree with someone’s views, it is never a viable reason to use force. It is especially unacceptable when the person using force is a university professor who is forcibly grabbing a student. Although the event took place in the professors’ home, it was a university sponsored event and therefore subject to university guidelines which was followed by Afaneh and Berkeley’s students for Palestine.
Ironically, Fisk teaches First Amendment rights and is known to have progressive ideas, including giving land acknowledgments before lectures. However, her actions in this video demonstrate that her alliance with marginal groups are only superficial. Even more ironic is that Fisk and Chemerinsky can be heard shouting “It’s my house!” yet fail to recognize how Palestinians have been violently forced out of their homes and land for decades.
Afaneh is only one of many Muslim students facing discrimination at their educational institutions. Most recently, USC’s valedictorian this year, Asna Tabassum, is a Muslim student who has been vocal about being pro-Palestinian but USC has decided to cancel the valedictorian’s speech at commencement for alleged safety concerns after people accused the student of being anti-semitic. Late last year there were also 3 Palestinian students in Vermont who were shot for being visibly Arab. Islamophobia continues to grow everywhere today as a result of support for Israel. We need to advocate not only for Muslim and Arab students in the U.S. but also for the millions of Palestinians who continue to face violent oppression by Israel.
Afaneh and students for Palestine ask the public for support by emailing UC Berkeley officials at tinyurl.com/Fiskassault4
You can also support Asna Tabassum, the USC student here.
El Tribuno del Pueblo brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: tribunodelpueblo.org. We’re all volunteers, no paid staff. Please donate at http://tribunodelpueblo.org to keep bringing you the voices of the movement because no human being is illegal.
