College Republicans’ Event Kickoff Draws Protest

It was sometimes difficult for listeners to hear Nonie Darwish, the founder of Arabs for Israel, amid the protest at last night’s kickoff event for Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week.

The week was organized by the Berkeley College Republicans and created and funded by conservative pundit and UC Berkeley alumnus David Horowitz.

Slated to run at other college campuses across the country, the week has come under fire from some student groups on campus for appearing to cast all Muslims as fascists.

Last night, Darwish spoke about her experiences growing up in Egypt and immigrating to America.

Darwish explained why she felt it appropriate to call many Middle Eastern leaders fascist and why it is important to support moderate Muslims.

“I ask the support of the American left,” she told the audience. “The terrorists are not the freedom fighters, moderate Muslims in the Middle East are the freedom fighters.”

Darwish was introduced to an equal mix of boos and applause and was unable to begin speaking for about a minute because of heckling from the audience. She was noticeably flustered by the various protests during the speech and was flanked by a bodyguard.

UCPD escorted a number of loud opponents out of the lecture hall at various times during the event. People who arrived after the designated cutoff time for entry beat on the walls outside the lecture hall in protest.

“I left the Middle East because there was no freedom of speech and now I am here and there is fascism,” Darwish exclaimed in frustration as a loud debate was taking place in the audience.

BCR President Ross Lingenfelder said Darwish told him last night’s event had the largest amount of protest she had ever experienced.

UCPD officials said no arrests or citations were issued at the lecture.

A television crew from the Arab news network Al Jazeera flew from their office in Washington, D.C. to cover the event.

Nasser Hasaini, a reporter for the station, said he felt it was important to show Muslim Americans the debate that is taking place across the country.

“Muslims in America are living in a specific moment in the history of America,” he said before the event. “Tonight we will listen to one of those groups who are not anti-Muslim, but they think Islam creates an environment of terrorism.”

A crowd gathered spontaneously near Sproul Plaza earlier in the day to debate the week’s events and the issues it addresses. Numerous groups on campus have organized alternative events to be held throughout the week.

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