Post by UC Davis professor threatens ‘Zionist journalists’ and their children
The University of California, Davis. Photo by iStock
By Beth Harpaz October 19, 2023
An individual identified as a professor at the University of California, Davis, suggested in a social media post that “Zionist journalists” and their children should be targeted in their homes.
The post, made in a private account on X (formerly Twitter) that appears to belong to Jemma Decristo, read: “one group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation they have houses w addresses, kids in school they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more.”
Screenshots of the message were posted by others on various digital platforms and on news sites. The post is dated Oct. 10, three days after Hamas’ terror attacks in Israel.
Hey @ucdavis, do you think it’s appropriate that one of your faculty advisors, @jemmaisOKeh, is publicly threatening to murder Jews at their homes and their children at their schools? pic.twitter.com/xAx97LHYbr
— Jason Bedrick ?? (@JasonBedrick) October 19, 2023
A link to Decristo’s biography on the UC Davis site was not working Thursday, but archived biographies variously described Decristo as an assistant professor in American studies and African American studies. “I focus on the interplay between sound, race, gender, and embodiment,” Decristo wrote in one of the biographies.
Jason Bedrick, one of a number of people who blasted Decristo and UC Davis online, tweeted: “Hey @ucdavis, do you think it’s appropriate that one of your faculty advisors, @jemmaisOKeh, is publicly threatening to murder Jews at their homes and their children at their schools?”
The university’s response
In a statement published on the university’s website, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May said: “I absolutely condemn the posts attributed to a UC Davis faculty member that recently appeared on the social media platform X. I find the comments revolting in every way, and I disagree wholeheartedly with them.”
In response to those who “have asked why this faculty member continues to be employed at UC Davis,” May said that the University of California “has specific procedures for the review of complaints of faculty misconduct” and that any complaints or reviews are “confidential personnel matters” that preclude the school from publicly commenting.
He also said that while UC Davis “rejects all forms of violence and discrimination, as they are antithetical to the values of our university,” the public expression of opinions, “even those opinions considered controversial or abhorrent, enjoy a high level of protection under the First Amendment.” He said the professor’s comments would be reviewed “to ensure our response is consistent with universitywide policy and state and federal constitutional protections.”
The Forward sought but did not immediately receive permission from Decristo’s account on X to see posts there firsthand, and there was no immediate way to contact Decristo for comment.
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