The article discusses how UC Berkeley treats speakers who support Hamas as honored guests while silencing those critical of Hamas through harassment or intimidation, despite the campus being a historical center for free speech advocacy. It cites specific instances where conservative and anti-Hamas speakers were forced to cancel appearances due to security threats or faced severe disruptions during talks, contrasting this with the welcoming reception given to Mohamed Abdou, who openly promotes hostility towards America and supports extremist groups like Hamas. The author argues that this double standard undermines free speech principles established by earlier campus movements.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In October 2023, Berkeley allowed a speaker named Abdou, who identifies with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad, to appear on campus despite his controversial views. This event coincided with the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people, the abduction of 251 hostages, and numerous rapes. The university's decision contrasts sharply with its historical commitment to free speech during the 1960s when students fought against campus restrictions on political discourse. While Abdou was welcomed as an honored guest, those speaking out against Hamas were subjected to heckling, harassment, or worse, creating a stark double standard at UC Berkeley and other universities like NYU and Claremont Colleges, undermining the principle of free speech that these institutions claim to uphold.
Written for “Berkeley Free Speech Controversy” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Abdou’s appearance, plus a second talk the next day at Claremont Colleges, invokes the anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023 — when Hamas stormed Israel, raped dozens of women, killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
asserted
Hamas → invoke → hostages
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asserted
Sign → sign → California
To suggest that Hamas has the moral high ground after such barbarity is ludicrous.
asserted
Hamas → suggest → barbarity
Yet Berkeley and other universities treat the likes of Abdou — self-described as “with Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad” — as honored guests.
asserted
Berkeley → treat → guests
Meanwhile, anyone speaking on campus against Hamas and Oct. 7 can expect to be heckled, harassed or worse.
asserted
anyone → speak → Hamas
The double standard is especially galling at UC Berkeley — the birthplace of the free speech movement, where students in the 1960s fought campus restrictions on political speech and won.
asserted
students → gall → speech
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Abdou, who told NYU students in April to “Be proud of your hate for America,” is embraced.
asserted
who → download → America
But contrary and conservative voices have long been accorded the heckler’s veto: shouted down, intimidated or urged via violence to keep quiet or stay away.
asserted
voices → accord → violence
In 2017, Milo Yiannopoulos, David Horowitz and Ann Coulter all canceled planned speeches to conservatives at Berkeley, amid security threats.
asserted
Yiannopoulos → cancel → threats
That same year, Ben Shapiro did speak at Zellerbach Hall.
asserted
Shapiro → speak → Hall
Yet his talk required sweeping security measures, including armed police, a concrete barrier and secure perimeter, and the closure of nearby buildings.
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talk → require → buildings
Even former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — hardly a firebrand on the right — was repeatedly heckled by protesters when she spoke on campus in 2024 alongside Berkeley’s then-chancellor, Carol Christ.
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she → heckle → chancellor
The pattern is clear: Agitators at Cal insist on shutting down opposing views, rather than engaging with them.
asserted
Agitators → insist → them
Civility, along with reasoned debate and discussion, has all but left the building(s).
asserted
Civility → leave → building(s
One might think that American students would relate to the more than 360 young people slaughtered at a music festival in Israel on Oct. 7.
uncertain
students → think → Oct.
Instead, many cheer for the side that did the slaughtering.
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that → cheer → slaughtering
Which brings us back to jihadist Mohamed Abdou, an ex-Columbia professor whose views were too extreme even for that hotbed of leftism.
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views → bring → leftism
After he told NYU students take pride in hating America, Abdou blathered: “You love Islam, and you should be loving Islam more than this barbarous colony.
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you → tell → colony
It’s a plague upon the Earth.
asserted
It → ’ → Earth
And yes, in that sense, you need to be a threat.
asserted
you → need → sense
We all need to be a threat.”
This is the kind of chilling talk that passes for educational enrichment at the likes of NYU, Claremont Colleges and Cal?
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that → need → NYU
It’s bananas, it’s dangerous — and at Berkeley, it’s often the only side that feels safe speaking out.
asserted
that → ’ → Berkeley
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