San Jose State University faculty member’s scuffle with activists cuts presentation short

Amy Larson
·2 min read
3

(KRON) — A clash between a guest speaker who was invited to San Jose State University and student activists ended with the university cutting the speaker’s presentation on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict short.

The speaker was Dr. Jeffrey Blutinger, a professor of Jewish Studies and History at California State University Long Beach. His lecture, titled, “Constructing a Just Solution: Where Israelis and Palestinians Go From Here,” was sponsored by a grant from Jewish Silicon Valley.

According to a flier for the event, Blutinger was slated to talk about “finding a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” explaining “the road to the present situation,” and looking at “possible paths forward.”

SJSU officials told KRON4 that the guest speaker made a presentation in a classroom at Sweeney Hall on Monday afternoon. “A group of demonstrators moved into the hallway near the classroom. An altercation took place in the hallway involving a faculty member and demonstrators. The decision was made by university administration to end the presentation. SJSU’s University Police Department safely removed the speaker and the students attending the presentation. The demonstrators then moved to the exterior of the building.”

University officials did not name the faculty member who was involved in the hallway altercation.

No one was injured and no arrests were made, according to SJSU officials.

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The Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area said Blutinger was trying to teach students about a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

“A planned protest against guest speaker Prof. Jeffrey Blutinger’s talk on achieving peace in the Middle East through a two-state solution escalated into violence. Their message? To show that ‘Zionists are not welcome here.’ To ensure the safety of Prof. Blutinger, an armed escort was necessary for his departure. The intimidation tactics employed against a Jewish speaker are deeply troubling,” JCRC Bay Area wrote.

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