UF President Ben Sasse condemns Hamas attacks, ensures student safety after stampede vigil

University of Florida President Ben Sasse has released a lengthy letter to Jewish students and graduates following a vigil held on campus Monday evening that went awry and sent dozens of students and community members to the hospital.

The letter, which was first obtained and published by two conservative blog sites, condemns the Hamas terrorist attacks in Gaza and Israel that killed more than a thousand innocent men, women and children, including more than a dozen Americans. It also clarifies to students once again that there was no attack at UF's Turlington Plaza where nearly a thousand people held a vigil for those who lost their lives overseas. The commotion that ensued was from a misunderstanding after someone in the crowd fainted, Sasse reiterated.

Sasse also warns students in his letter that it is possible for anti-Israel protests to pop up on campus.

"But I also want to be clear about this: We will protect our Jewish students from violence," he wrote. "If anti-Israel protests come, we will absolutely be ready to act if anyone dares to escalate beyond peaceful protest. Speech is protected – violence and vandalism are not."

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The Gainesville Sun first reported that people flooded UF Health Shands Hospital after the vigil that ended in what some described as a stampede. UF officials, however, initially said only five were injured and treated on campus where the incident occurred. Among the injuries reported are concussions and cuts requiring stitches. Most injured, however, walked away with minor scraps, cuts and bruises.

Not long after Sasse gave his speech to those in attendance, the crowd frantically dispersed. Some students − who only had a split second to decide to run or stay in place − assumed when the crowd ran that they were being targeted by antisemites or being shot at, but no such attack occurred. They also shared with The Sun that the evening was beautiful and brought many to tears prior to its abrupt end.

UF has over 9,000 Jewish students, one of the largest populations at a university in the country, between undergraduate and graduate enrollment.

Sasse's full letter is posted below:

Dear Jewish Gator Alums,

Many of you have reached out about the vigil at UF last night. I was overwhelmed to see a thousand Gators standing with Israel. You can find my remarks here.

The chaos at the event was an unfortunate end to a beautiful gathering, but I wanted to let you know that there was no attack on campus and the injuries that have been reported seem to be relatively minor. From what we can gather, a student passed out and, when a fellow student called for 911, other students – understandably on edge – fled.

While we all wish the night had ended differently, we are tremendously proud of the students who came to stand with Israel. I hope Rabbi Jonah and Rabbi Berl reschedule the vigil, and I hope the community reconvenes.

Like you, I am tremendously grateful for our students. The University of Florida is home to the largest number of Jewish students at any university in this country. We are honored by and committed to that legacy. Our Jewish students and alumni around the world have been devastated by Hamas’ terrorism.

I will not tiptoe around this simple fact: What Hamas did is evil and there is no defense for terrorism. This shouldn’t be hard. Sadly, too many people in elite academia have been so weakened by their moral confusion that, when they see videos of raped women, hear of a beheaded baby, or learn of a grandmother murdered in her home, the first reaction of some is to “provide context” and try to blame the raped women, beheaded baby, or the murdered grandmother. In other grotesque cases, they express simple support for the terrorists.

This thinking isn’t just wrong, it’s sickening. It’s dehumanizing. It is beneath people called to educate our next generation of Americans. I am thankful to say I haven’t seen examples of that here at UF, either from our faculty or our student body.

As for us, our educational mission here begins with the recognition and explicit acknowledgment of human dignity – the same human dignity that Hamas’ terrorists openly scorn. Every single human life matters. We are committed to that truth. We will tell that truth.

In the coming days, it is possible that anti-Israel protests will come to UF’s campus. I have told our police chief and administration that this university always has two foundational commitments: We will protect our students and we will protect speech. This is always true: Our Constitution protects the rights of people to make abject idiots of themselves.

But I also want to be clear about this: We will protect our Jewish students from violence. If anti-Israel protests come, we will absolutely be ready to act if anyone dares to escalate beyond peaceful protest. Speech is protected – violence and vandalism are not.

I’m grateful to have heard from so many of you. Like I said at the vigil last night: When evil raises its head, as it has in recent days, it is up to men and women of conscience and courage to draw strength from truth and commit ourselves to the work of building something better – to the work of pursuing justice and pursuing peace. That is what we aim to do through education, compassion, and truth here at the University of Florida.

Sincerely,Ben

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF's Ben Sasse pens letter to Jewish students, warns of protests