Yale students form human chain to block Jewish students - as one says she was 'stabbed in eye' with Palestinian flag

22 April 2024, 09:29 | Updated: 22 April 2024, 09:49

Footage showing students at Yale University forming a human chain to block Jewish students has surfaced online, as one of the students claims she was 'stabbed in the eye' with a Palestinian flag.

The video was posted to X formerly Twitter on Sunday and shows the group, who are reported to have been taking part in a pro-Palestine protest on the university campus, forming a human chain to stop Jewish students passing.

Posted to the platform by Jewish journalist and editor-in-chief of the Yale Free Press, Sahar Tartak, the accompanying caption reads: "A Chassidic Jewish student was blockaded by protest organizers at a violent Yale rally last night.

She adds: "They followed his every move, and did the same to me. Obviously, this happened to no one else".

It follows reports from Ms Tartak that her and a friend were singled out for wearing Hasidic Jewish attire, as the crowd formed a blockade around them.

She also alleges the pair were singled out, adding that she was 'stabbed in the eye' with a Palestinian flag by one protestor, claiming the college is refusing to take action.

It comes as the UK faced a fresh wave of anti-semitism claims, with Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley facing calls to resign following the force's handling of a pro-Palestine rally over the weekend.

“There’s hundreds of people taunting me and waving the middle finger at me, and then this person waves a Palestinian flag in my face and jabs it in my eye,” Ms Tartak told The New York Post.

Another video posted by Mr Tartak from the campus, shows a mob of Yale students shouting "Viva Viva Palenstina" as they tear down an American flag.

With some students obscuring their faces, cheering can be heard as the flag reaches the ground.

It forms part of the latest round of anti-Israel demonstrations taking place at Yale University, which began on April 10.

Read more: Met Commissioner must resign over Palestine protest policing, antisemitism campaigners say

Read more: Met chief has questions to answer over ‘appalling’ treatment of Jewish man at protest - as he meets with religious leaders

"University cops do nothing in response. Nor does the administration," writes Ms Tarak.

As part of the footage showing the human chain, students wearing high-vis jackets can be seen shuffling along in line with the Jewish student, as one female voice can be heard saying: "Shift in a straight line, shift in a straight line".

A chorus of "we shall not be moved" echoes from the group.

Yale University has been contacted by LBC for comment.

“When I tried to yell and go after him, the protesters got in a line and stopped me,” Ms Tarak added of the incident.

"This looks like a sitcom," another video added, said to be shot on the campus at fellow Ivy League institution, Columbia University.

"A human blockade of hundreds at Columbia approaches a small group of Jewish students while saying "one step forward... push them out of the camp" in perfect unison. This is a Columbia tent encampment," reads the caption.

Stop Antisemitism, a nonprofit watchdog group, has weighed in on the issue, sharing an image Ms Tartak took of the demonstrator who jabbed her in the eye, asking the public to help identify him.

It comes as anti-semitism continues to dominate headlines in the UK, with Sir Mark Rowley will meet with the home secretary and policing minister following the claims and will also meet key Jewish leaders on Monday following calls for him to quit over his handling of the protests.