TPUSA Student at University of Washington Assaulted by Pro-Palestine Protester
The student was holding an Israeli flag when the unprovoked attacker took the flag and shoved the student.
A student member of the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter at the University of Washington was assaulted Monday afternoon by a pro-Palestine protester who was partaking in an encampment on campus established by the school’s Progressive Student Union (PSU).
The student, who asked to remain anonymous, was the only individual holding an Israeli flag among the small group of students gathered to oppose the encampment, which is believed to be the reason for the attack. According to the student, who spoke with TPUSA, the incident occurred around 1 p.m. when the attacker ripped the Israeli flag out of the TPUSA student’s hands and then shoved the student. The TPUSA regional field representative claimed that there were several eyewitnesses, and the student has since filed a police report. The TPUSA student is an immigrant to the U.S. and is currently in the process of obtaining citizenship.
The student described the incident to TPUSA as an “act of violence” and said that the pro-Palestine supporter instigated the attack from behind, blindsiding the student. Other protesters repeatedly shouted “Shame! Shame! Shame!” while the TPUSA-affiliated student was assaulted.
The PSU, which set up the encampment, initially delayed the protest because organizers said that “too many white people” planned to participate. “Gaza encampments,” have become commonplace on college campuses across the country in recent weeks to protest the Israel-Hamas war which began after Hamas, a Palestinian terror organization, launched an attack on Israel in October 2023. Students have set up these “campsites” around the U.S. to demand that their schools cut financial ties with Israel.
The University of Washington set up a notice stating “No camping allowed”; however, it has not taken decisive action to remove the pro-Gaza protesters at the time of reporting.
Another student at the University of Washington who is the co-president of Students Supporting Israel and the great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivors told a local Fox affiliate that she does “not feel safe on campus,” due to the increasing hostility towards Jewish students. “I have been called names, I have been spit at, I have been laughed at,” [by Palestine supporters], she told the outlet. She even said that some students have told her to “go back to the gas chambers.”
This article has been updated to reflect statements provided by the victim in this incident. Further updates will be issued to reflect additional comments from TPUSA chapter members and witnesses to the incident as provided.
