Anti-Israel Campus Protests ‘Encouraged’ by Iran, Says Syracuse University Chancellor
Over the past two years, anti-Israel demonstrations on U.S. college campuses were largely driven by outside activists rather than students and were “encouraged” by Iran, according to Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud.
Details from the Panel Discussion
Speaking during a panel in Washington, D.C. alongside leaders from Vanderbilt University and Washington University in St. Louis, Syverud described how some protests following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack appeared to be influenced by external groups connected to the Iranian regime.
“When things happened that I really believe were encouraged from Iran,” said Syverud, explaining that the Syracuse demonstrations were mostly made up of outside agitators and “did not have the involvement of very many, if any, of our own students.”
Challenges in Accountability
He noted that enforcing disciplinary actions against those who engaged in violent behavior or property damage was complicated by participants hiding their identities.
“People were using masks to avoid accountability for what they were saying and doing,” he said.
Summary
Syverud emphasized that most anti-Israel campus protests were fueled by external actors allegedly backed by Iran, not by university students themselves.
Author’s summary: Syracuse University’s chancellor linked campus unrest after Hamas’s 2023 attack to outside influence from Iran, noting protesters often hid behind masks to evade discipline.