Dov Hikind (69) is a former New York Democrat state assemblyman who is also a Jewish, pro-Israel activist. On Sunday, he attended an event at Rutgers University sponsored by Muslims for Peace. According to Hikind’s account, things were going well until Rep. Rashida Tlaib came on to speak. When he got up to ask her about her history of anti-Semitic statements, he was quickly removed from the room by campus police after being grabbed by the arm by a young man wearing a Palestinian keffiya. The below Washington Examiner link has a video of the incident posted on Twitter by Hikind.
Here is how the Rutgers student newspaper, The Daily Targum, reported it in their politically correct way.
Comment: Muslims for Peace is an organization of Ahmadiya Muslims. It should be noted that this group, which has its origins in present-day Pakistan, is not recognized by mainstream Muslims since they believe in a latter day prophet after Mohammad, which is considered heresy. Thus, they are badly persecuted in Pakistan and other areas where they reside. They do have a good track record in not being involved in terrorism or intolerance against others, but they do follow most of Islamic teachings including Sharia law and revering Mohammad.
In addition, I have heard Dr. Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini, founder and director of the Islamic Center of Orange County and president of the Shia Muslim Council of Southern California, speak several times. I have no negative information on him as regards radicalism. He is mentioned as having spoken at the same event.
Craig M Considine of Rice University, who also spoke, is another one of those dime-a dozen critics of Israel/defenders of everything Islamic you will find in most every university in the land.
As to the incident itself, it is hard to tell if Hikind was disrupting Tlaib or was being removed for asking her a critical question about anti-Semitism. I would like to see more footage just before he rose and asked his question. It appears he was not called upon though it is possible he was asking a follow-up question to Tlaib. At any rate, the response was unusually fast and appears to be an overreaction. The words were barely out of his mouth when that keffiya-wearing young man rushed up and grabbed him by the arm. That was improper. Obviously, there were campus police in the room because they were there seconds later and immediately hauled him out of the room.
I have no issue with actual disruptors being removed, but I wonder if Rutgers’ campus cops are as quick to remove pro-Palestinian disruptors from pro-Israel events.
