Protesters at University of Oregon Hillel Chant Support for October 7 Attackers
About 25 anti-Israel protesters gathered outside the University of Oregon Hillel on the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack, chanting praise for the Al-Aqsa Flood and demanding the Jewish student group leave campus. They also burned an American flag near the house, where candles and Israeli flags memorialized victims. The executive director of Hillel was targeted in a poster campaign, drawing condemnation from Oregon officials.
About 25 protesters gathered outside the University of Oregon Hillel on the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack. They chanted praise for the Al-Aqsa Flood and demanded the Jewish student group leave campus; many concealed their identities. Israeli flags and memorial candles filled the house windows, while an American flag was burned nearby.
Separately, posters targeting Oregon Hillel executive director Lenny Steinberg appeared on campus, branding him a public enemy and calling for Hillel’s removal. Oregon lawmakers and University President Karl Scholz condemned the posters, saying they made Jewish students feel isolated and afraid.
This episode may deepen fears among Jewish students at the University of Oregon and elsewhere, potentially affecting campus climate and sense of safety. It could also intensify scrutiny of how administrators balance free expression with protection from harassment. Condemnations by officials may reassure targeted groups, while debates over protest tactics and antisemitism could further polarize campus and state politics.