SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Santa Barbara's Multicultural Center was the scene of recent protests over the war between Israel and Hamas.
The Multicultural Center (MCC) on campus had several posters put up that centered around opposition to “Zionism,” the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the use of the building by other students and members of the administration.
The signs were removed by the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the event scheduled for Monday evening at MCC, a halal and kosher cooking class, was moved to another UCSB state location.
According to UCSB, an Instagram account associated with the MMC building itself has been suspended for unauthorized messages.
Below is a recent post from the ucsbmmc account that appears as originally posted and is now no longer available on the account page.
UCSB issued the following statement in response to media inquiries.
The campus was distressed to learn of incidents over the weekend involving offensive social media messages and signs on one of our buildings. The signs have been removed and the campus is conducting a review of incidents of bias based on potential discrimination related to protected classes that include religion, citizenship, and national or ethnic origin. Posting such messages is a violation of our Principles of Community and Inclusion.
Campus officials also sent a letter to the campus regarding the UC Presidential Policy on Anti-Discrimination, which went into effect on February 20, 2024. The new policy covers harassment, discrimination, and retaliation by and against students, employees, and third parties on university property or in connection with university employment or programs Or activities.
Conduct prohibited under this policy on the basis of national or ethnic origin or ancestry extends to individuals who are discriminated against or harassed on the basis of their actual or perceived common ancestry or racial characteristics, citizenship or residence in a country with a dominant religion or distinct religious identity. This includes, for example, anti-Semitic, anti-Arab and Islamophobic discrimination or harassment. Some forms of discrimination or harassment may also constitute prohibited conduct based on other protected categories covered by this policy, including religion-based conduct. The policy includes strong protections for freedom of expression and academic freedom.
The University strives to create opportunities for civil dialogue, free of bullying and discrimination, that allows all members of the community to have their voices heard and have a space to respectfully express their opinions. To ensure that we uphold the values and principles of our community, the campus is committed to comprehensively reviewing and addressing all reported incidents of bias.
Kiki Reyes, Director of Media Relations at UCSB
More information will be added to this article as it is verified.
