Bashir Juwara, 24, is the student body president of Hunter College (CUNY) and has been actively involved in radical pro-Palestinian protests across the CUNY system. His activism includes participating in demonstrations where violent and antisemitic rhetoric has been widely documented.
April 30, 2024 Arrest at City College
Juwara was arrested on April 30, 2024, at City College of New York (CCNY) during an illegal encampment protest. He was charged with trespassing during an NYPD operation to dismantle the encampment, which had been illegally occupying campus grounds since April 25. The protests, organized under the banner of Palestinian activism, featured inflammatory rhetoric, including open calls for the destruction of Israel.
Following his arrest, Juwara has had the charges against him dropped and then attempted to downplay the incident, claiming he was simply ensuring student safety. However, video footage and witness reports indicate that protesters were actively defying university policies and law enforcement, with some engaging in aggressive confrontations with police.
Use of Antisemitic Rhetoric & Hate Speech
Juwara has been involved in demonstrations where chants such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” were used—a slogan widely condemned as a call for the destruction of Israel and the eradication of its Jewish population. Such rhetoric has been classified by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and other watchdog groups as antisemitic hate speech.
Additionally, protests he has participated in have included explicit calls for violence, including chants of “Intifada, Intifada”—a reference to violent uprisings that resulted in the deaths of thousands, including civilians targeted in terrorist attacks.
Confrontation with City College Administration
At a town hall following his arrest, Juwara aggressively confronted City College President Vincent Boudreau, accusing him of “calling the cops on students.” His remarks ignored the reality that the encampment had violated university policies, endangered public safety, and included participants unaffiliated with CUNY who had been identified as outside agitators.
University officials, including Boudreau, defended the decision to involve law enforcement, citing security risks, property damage, and rising threats linked to the encampment. Out of nearly 200 arrested individuals, only a small portion were confirmed to be City College students, reinforcing concerns that the protest was being fueled by external radical groups.
CUNY’s Response & Security Crackdown
In response to the escalating tensions and antisemitic incidents tied to these demonstrations, CUNY allocated $4 million in emergency funding to bolster security at City College, recognizing the growing risks posed by such protests.
Despite this, Juwara has continued his inflammatory rhetoric, using his platform in student government to push radical narratives that have contributed to a hostile environment for Jewish students on campus. His activism is part of a broader pattern of extremist agitation within CUNY, where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have frequently crossed the line into outright hate speech and incitement.
