Pro-Hamas Protesters Erect Encampment at Yale Ahead of Itamar Ben-Gvir Visit; Reports of Jewish Students Blocked from Campus Space Spark Alarm

By: Fern Sidman

Tensions escalated at Yale University on Tuesday evening as pro-Hamas demonstrators erected an eight-tent encampment on Beinecke Plaza, launching a protest timed to coincide with the impending visit of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to a nearby off-campus event. The demonstration, which unfolded over several hours, spotlighted growing concerns about escalating campus activism crossing into targeted intimidation, especially of Jewish students.

CNN reported that Ben-Gvir was set to address the private Jewish society Shabtai on Wednesday evening.

According to campus reports and independent observers, the protest remained in place for much of the evening but dispersed shortly before midnight after Yale officials issued a warning about university policies prohibiting overnight encampments. The warning, distributed via email and social media, included a link to Yale’s standing policy on demonstrations, which explicitly bars overnight tents on campus property.

According to the information provided in the CNN report, the demonstration on Tuesday night involved an “unregistered group” of approximately 200 people, none of whom were affiliated with any recognized Yale student organization. Protesters erected eight tents in Beinecke Plaza, a prominent public square on Yale’s campus, and chanted slogans such as “The people united will never be defeated” and “Palestine will be free,” as captured in videos posted on social media.

The demonstration occurred just hours after the group had met with Yale officials to discuss ongoing violations of campus protest policies, CNN reported. University representatives had explicitly warned the group that any further infractions would result in the loss of organizational privileges. True to that warning, Yale revoked the group’s status as a registered student organization on Wednesday and launched an investigation into reports of “disturbing antisemitic conduct” at the protest.

“Yale condemns antisemitism and will hold those who violate our policies accountable through our disciplinary processes,” the university said in a statement quoted by CNN.

Yet even as the encampment was removed without the use of force or arrests, allegations surfaced that Jewish students were prevented from passing through the area around the encampment. While the facts remain under investigation, the implications are deeply troubling.

“Blocking students from accessing campus spaces based on religion or ethnicity is not protected protest — it’s discrimination,” one university observer stated. “And it flies in the face of everything Yale claims to stand for.”

The incident has drawn the attention of The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a nonpartisan organization dedicated to defending free speech and civil liberties on college campuses. FIRE emphasized that while protest is a protected activity, encampments that impede movement, create safety risks, or limit others’ access to education and speech are not.

“Universities like Yale may, consistent with free speech principles, enforce viewpoint-neutral policies that prohibit encampments when they block access, pose safety issues, or disrupt core campus functions,” FIRE stated.

FIRE made clear that universities have a legal and ethical responsibility to safeguard the expressive rights of all students — including protesters, counter-protesters, and bystanders. With Ben-Gvir’s upcoming talk drawing significant attention and likely additional demonstrations, FIRE announced it would monitor Yale’s handling of future protests closely to ensure that students’ rights to “speak and listen freely” are not infringed.

This protest is not an isolated event. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023 — when Hamas terrorists murdered over 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 in southern Israel — university campuses across the U.S. have become increasingly polarized and volatile, particularly regarding invited Israeli speakers. Ben-Gvir, one of Israel’s most controversial figures, has attracted both fervent support and intense opposition for his unapologetically hardline stance against Hamas and Palestinian terrorism.

What distinguishes the Yale protest is the use of physical space to potentially block movement — particularly of Jewish students — and the suggestion that the encampment may have targeted individuals based on religious or ethnic identity.

“Free speech does not include the right to block other students’ access to campus,” said a constitutional law expert affiliated with FIRE. “This is where the line between protest and coercion is crossed.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Yale University had not issued a formal statement regarding allegations of students being physically blocked from accessing Beinecke Plaza. The administration’s only public action was its late-evening notice regarding the encampment policy, which successfully prompted the demonstrators to leave voluntarily.

Still, Jewish student groups and free speech advocates are now demanding a clear and consistent policy enforcement strategy, particularly given the heightened risk of intimidation during politically charged events.

“Yale must be proactive — not reactive,” said one Jewish student leader. “It’s not enough to remind people of policy after the fact. We want to know that we can walk freely across campus — and that our rights will be protected just like anyone else’s.”

As Yale prepares for the arrival of Ben-Gvir at Shabtai and potential follow-up demonstrations, the campus remains on edge. Administrators face pressure to balance their commitment to open discourse with their obligation to maintain campus order and ensure safety.

Shabtai, described on its website as a “Global Jewish Leadership Society,” hosts weekly dinners and speakers at an off-campus mansion and has previously welcomed figures ranging from former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci to U.S. Senator Cory Booker, a co-founder of the society during his time at Yale Law in the 1990s, as was noted in the CNN report.

Ben Gvir’s visit is expected to draw additional scrutiny due to his vocal support for former President Trump, and his stance on the Israel-Hamas war. As CNN reported, Ben Gvir quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet in January in protest of a ceasefire deal that secured the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. He rejoined the government last month following the resumption of military operations in Gaza.

“Shabtai does not seek to legitimize or delegitimize world leaders,” Yale senior Mitchell Dubin, a member of the society, told CNN. “Instead, it provides a space where ideas are interrogated with rigor, policies are challenged with integrity, and civil discourse is preserved even under strain.”

Protesters have promised more action in the days ahead, and it is not yet clear whether similar encampments or attempts to disrupt access to events will occur again. FIRE has warned that universities must be prepared to defend the rights of both speakers and attendees, even when the views expressed are controversial or politically sensitive.

The coming days will serve as a crucial test of Yale’s leadership, not only in managing civil discourse, but in upholding the fundamental principle that no student — Jewish or otherwise — should be barred from campus spaces by a mob.

As the eyes of the nation turn toward New Haven, the question remains: Will Yale protect the right to protest — and the right to be protected from it when protest becomes persecution?