Harvard student says ‘pro-terrorism hate fest’ is happening in encampment beyond school’s locked gates
Alex Bernat said he does not believe DEI at Harvard includes Jewish students
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Harvard University student detailed what is happening beyond the locked gates of the school's Yard, arguing that the encampment at the center of campus is a "pro-terrorist hate fest" that needs to be removed.
Alex Bernat, a junior undergraduate student at Harvard University, told Fox News Digital that the encampment at the school popped up over a week ago and has been "extraordinarily disruptive" to daily life.
"They regularly chant for intifada. They use amplified sound in the Yard. It's finals period. People live in the Yard. They want to study. They're disruptive to people studying. They are antisemitic on a visceral level," Bernat said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It needs to go. The encampment needs to be disbanded," he added.
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Harvard University student Alex Bernat said the encampment has been disruptive to student life. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
The scenes of the encampment Bernat described were largely obscured from Fox News Digital's view. The university said last week that access to Harvard Yard would be restricted until April 26 in anticipation of protests.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, the campus was still closed to the public on May 1 and May 2. Security personnel and police officers were placed outside designated gates. Only those with student or faculty IDs were allowed inside. Other entry points had locks placed on them. Even off-campus buildings had their doors bolted.
Fox News Digital went to the Harvard Public Affairs and Communications Office to try and gain entry. A worker denied the outlet entry and said they needed more time to accommodate. When Fox News Digital said it would also be at the campus the following day, the employee still said they could not allow the media outlet to go inside.
Harvard also denied Fox News Digital's request to speak with any campus administrator or faculty member.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harvard's closed-door attitude was a far cry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is located just 10 minutes away. At MIT, members of the public and press were free to speak with those on campus, including protesters inside the encampment.
Both schools are private institutions.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Signs near the encampment at Harvard University called for Palestinians to take land in Israel. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
Bernat said, to his understanding, the Harvard campus was locked down to prevent outside agitators from joining the encampment. This policy decision, he said, has not been entirely successful. Several high-profile figures, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass, have allegedly accessed the Yard.
Those in the encampment are asking Harvard for disclosure of investments, divestment from Israel, and amnesty for protesters. Bernat said these were "asinine demands," considering Harvard does not divest from any other country and protesters are in violation of time, place and manner restrictions.
The Harvard Crimson has reported that some students are under disciplinary review.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's extraordinarily clear to me that these demands are far beyond the pale," Bernat said.
Bernat has been a vocal defender of Jewish students throughout his time at Harvard. In a May 2022 piece for The Harvard Crimson, he criticized the paper's endorsement of the boycott, divestment and sanctions initiative against Israel. He said that to "single out Israel for economic, academic, technological and cultural boycott is to single out the Jewish people."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A view of the encampment in Harvard yard. The "Liberated Zone" had several signs decrying genocide and calling for divestment from Israel. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
He told Fox News Digital that most Jewish students he has spoken with feel "alienated" from Harvard Yard and recognize the encampment as "anti-Jewish." He added that students often feel physically uncomfortable and intimidated.
While Harvard administrators have issued several statements condemning some of the actions taken by encampment members, the tents remain. Bernat suggested that the school's actions have shown that the university is not fully committed to its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
"I think DEI at Harvard includes Jewish students in name only and only after October 7," Bernat said. "They only added [Jews] after they were pressured publicly and I don't think DEI is adequately responding to the needs of Jewish students. If they wanted to do something to really help Jewish students, they would call the encampment what it is, an antisemitic and pro-terrorist hate fest."
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Bernat said the protests are entirely unproductive and only serve to divide campus and make Jewish students feel unwelcome.
He asked that students at colleges across the country check in on their Jewish friends.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's not a political statement to ask if your Jewish friends feel comfortable on campus and feel included," Bernat added. "I would say to act. The more students who condemn the atrocious language and the atrocious actions and the disruptive actions of the encampment, the faster perhaps they will disband."
Harvard did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.