UCSB temporarily closes Multi-Cultural Center following signs targeting student leader
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Students are likely to notice the temporary closure of the UCSB Multi-Cultural Center and the shutdown of its Instagram.
The action follows unauthorized sign and posts that appear to target Associated Student President Tessa Veksler, who happens to be Jewish.
USCB is investigating the signs and social media posts including the Multi-Cultural Center's Instagram that showed variations of signs that read; “Zionists are not welcome”.
Veksler shared photos of one that accused her of supporting genocide and one that read, "You can run, but you can't hide Tessa Veksler."
Another Associated Student who is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor said he was targeted, too.
"We both received open threats of bodily harm this happens as a result of completely misdirected emotional energy but energy in general. If people spent the same time learning the underlying factors, there are probably things they can do here to help," said Ephraim Shalunov who serves as the First President Pro-Tempore of the UCSB Associated Students Senate.
He shared photos of the disturbing messages with the media.
Shalunov said some of chants heard during a recent on-campus march affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine appeared to be supporting Islamic terrorism.
Members of the UCSB SJP shared the controversial photos on social media, too.
Members of the groups, that has called for divesting in actions that support Israel in the war, could not be reached to comment in time for this report.
The student group is hosting an event entitled "On Student Advocacy and Activism with SJP" on Wednesday (2/28) in the El Centro Activity Room from 6:30 p.m.-8p.m.
It is one of a number of Human Rights Week events taking place on campus during the final week of February.
UCSB released a statement that let students know the “offensive" messages have been removed.
Some have been replaced by misspelled closed signs on the doors of the Multi-Cultural Center.
The university also called the messages a violation of "our principles of community and inclusion."
Santa Barbara Hillel Executive Director Josh Levine agrees.
Levine said there needs to be accountability for what he described as antisemitic vandalism to the Multi-Cultural Center on campus.
"The Jewish community is strong here, it is resolved, it encountered a major crisis in the last 48 hours. They were told Zionists are not welcome in a public university space," said Levine, "It is totally inappropriate, it is antisemitic. In spite of that, they showed up and said this is our space, too, and that is all Jewish students want, to be treated equally like all their fellow students at the university."
Other campuses, including Cal Berkeley, are also experiencing similar reports of tensions and even violence related to the Israel-Hamas War.
Some students who feel targeted have said they don't feel safe, but that does not mean they plan to step down from their leadership positions.
