Tara Tarawneh, a junior majoring in comparative literature at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), has gained notoriety for her extremism, which has crossed over into endorsing and glorifying acts of violence and terrorism. Her actions, including the theft and destruction of a flag and incendiary rhetoric justifying acts of mass violence, highlight a pattern of behavior that has alarmed both campus communities and broader audiences.
Tara Tarawneh’s Glorification of Terrorism
In October 2023, during a Philadelphia City Council meeting, Tarawneh openly justified the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, citing the “sheer fact” of Israel’s existence as a provocation for the attack. She further characterized acts of resistance, including armed violence, as justified and necessary. Her remarks sparked outrage as they dismissed civilian suffering and appeared to endorse the mass violence inflicted during the Hamas terror attacks, which included mass murder, torture, and kidnapping of civilians.
Later that same month, Tarawneh spoke at an antisemitic rally in Philadelphia where she celebrated the actions of Hamas militants and urged the crowd to “escalate” their activism. Her remarks glorified the images of Hamas operatives breaching the Israeli border, calling them “joyful and powerful.” She also led chants calling for the elimination of the State of Israel and invoked terms like “intifada” and “resistance,” which are widely recognized as calls for violence.
Tara’s Arrest for Thief
In November 2023, Tarawneh was arrested and charged with theft after stealing a flag from a residence near Penn’s campus. The incident added to a growing list of actions that critics argue reflect her extremist stances and disregard for civil norms.
Tarawneh’s rhetoric and behavior underscore a broader trend of aggressive and divisive activism, which includes framing violent acts as resistance and dismissing calls for peaceful resolution as complicity in oppression. Her outspoken support for Hamas and minimization of its well-documented war crimes reflect a dangerous normalization of extremism within activist spaces.
