Is billionaire George Soros linked to pro-Palestine protests on US campuses? Here’s what we know
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Washington DC, United States of America (USA)
Students and others protest in the University Yard in support of Palestinians in Gaza on April 25, 2024 in Washington, US. (Reuters)
The protests, which began last week after students occupied the lawn of Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus, have spread across the country
In the wake of radical anti-Israel protests on college campuses across the country, American billionaire investor George Soros and affiliated groups have come under scrutiny for their alleged role in funding and organizing these pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Protests that began on the campus of Columbia University last week have spread to major institutions such as Harvard, Yale and Berkeley, and hundreds of people have been arrested across the country. Some top US schools, including Columbia, are dealing with student protesters who have rebuked and doubled down on police. Other schools have quickly turned to law enforcement to quell protests before they take hold.
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
According to New York PostThese protests have been coordinated by branches of the Soros-funded Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). According to the US newspaper, at the center of these protests are individuals identified as “associates” of the Soros-funded US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR). These paid activists are reportedly encouraged to organize campaigns led by Palestinian groups, receiving financial assistance ranging from $2,880 to $7,800 per fellow.
Funding for these protests has reportedly been channeled through a network of nonprofits, including Soros’ Open Society Foundations and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the report said. These contributions have been important in sustaining protest activities, such as the tent city created at Columbia University, where students received amenities such as delivery pizza and rotisserie chicken. An analysis done by Post Complex financial ties were revealed between Soros-affiliated groups and protest organizers.
According to the report, Soros’ contributions to organizations such as the Westchester People’s Action Coalition Foundation (WESPAC) have fueled anti-Israel sentiments. WESPAC, which was initially founded to advocate for civil rights, now allocates funds to groups such as Within Our Lifetime, founded by outspoken anti-Israel activist Nardine Kiswani. Despite multiple inquiries, none of the groups involved have responded to requests for comment. Post,
Read more: ‘We are judged by what we do at home, not by what we say abroad’: India on massive protests at US universities
India reaction
As protests continue on campuses across the US, India on Thursday underlined the need to balance freedom of expression and public safety. Addressing a weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are all judged by what we do at home, not what we say abroad.”
It comes as more than 100 people were arrested on Wednesday at two universities in California and Texas following protests on US campuses this week. In every democracy, there must be the right balance between freedom of expression, sense of responsibility and public safety and order,” Jaiswal said in response to a question asked during the press briefing.
“Democracies in particular must demonstrate this understanding in relation to other fellow democracies. After all, we are all judged on what we do at home, not what we say abroad,” he said. According to officials, demonstrations erupted at the University of Southern California (USC) Los Angeles campus, where 93 people were arrested for trespassing, and at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, where 34 people were arrested.
