A US university has kept a professor on staff after she appeared to call for attacks on Jewish journalists and their children in an online post that included knife and axe emoji.
Jemma Decristo, an assistant professor in American studies at the University of California, Davis, posted the message on October 10, three days after Hamas terrorists stormed parts of southern Israel and massacred hundreds of civilians, including scores of babies, children and elderly people.
But, despite pleas from Jewish students, the university only rebuked her on October 19 and said she still remained an employee. Her posts are being investigated by the department.
Jemma-DeCristo-Tweet
Decristo's post on X/Twitter
Decristo wrote on X/Twitter “[One] group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation.
“They have houses w addresses, kids in school. They can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more.”
She included a knife, an axe and three blood-drop emoji.
Days later, in another post, Decristo wrote: “To the US embassy. US out of everywhere. US GO HOME. US GO HOME” along with three fire emoji.
That post was in response to protestors marching towards the US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.
In another post, the professor celebrated the fire set at the Israeli embassy in Jordan, responding to the news with “HELL YEAH” and three Palestinian flag emoji.
Hillel at Davis and Sacramento, a centre for Jewish students, released a statement condemning the posts, while hundreds of students demanded the university take action.
The UC Davis chancellor finally wrote to the community about the posts yesterday calling them "antithetical to the values of our university".
Gary S May said in a statement: “I absolutely condemn the posts attributed to a UC Davis faculty member that recently appeared on the social media platform X. I find the comments revolting in every way, and I disagree wholeheartedly with them.
“The provost will refer this matter to the appropriate campus departments that investigate harassment, discrimination and faculty conduct, in consultation with legal counsel regarding First Amendment rights.
“Some have asked why this faculty member continues to be employed at UC Davis. The University of California system has specific procedures for the review of complaints of faculty misconduct consistent with university-wide policies and bylaws.
“The status of complaints lodged against faculty members are confidential personnel matters, so we are unable to publicly comment on the steps we are taking.”
Barry Broad, president of the Jewish Federation Of Sacramento. said: “Emotions are running high. We understand that.
“We can't live in a civilised society where threats of violence are acceptable and there are no consequences for making that.”
Several social media users wrote to UC Davis via its official account asking for the professor to be fired.
“Jemma Decristo, a professor at your college, is perpetuating microaggressions against a marginalised group which includes suggested violence against children as a retaliatory measure,” one user wrote this week.
"Your Jewish students cannot feel safe. I ask you to dismiss Decristo with cause and [without] pay.”
Decristo was contacted for comment.
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