IAC Urges US Universities to Ensure Security Ahead of October 7 Memorials
Ahead of the October 7 anniversary, the IAC urged over 100 US university presidents to ensure student safety during memorial events amid planned protests.
Ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, the Israeli-American Council (IAC) has sent letters to presidents of over 100 universities across the United States. Campuses are urged to guarantee student safety during upcoming memorial ceremonies amid planned protest rallies.
The appeal was conveyed through the organization's SHIELD center to all Ivy League universities and other major academic institutions. Campus administrations were asked to prepare in advance, enforce policies against harassment and disruptions, and ensure that memorial events take place safely.
The move follows reports that anti-Israel groups intend to hold provocative protest rallies on October 7 itself, in some cases near planned commemoration sites. Sagit Sadeh Atia, director of academic initiatives at the IAC, explained that over the past two years such protests have occasionally become threatening toward Jewish and Israeli students.
The demand relies on a report published last month by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, which unanimously determined that campus antisemitism constitutes a severe civil rights violation. Accordingly, the letters urge direct dialogue with students and balanced academic perspectives.
