Milwaukee County District Attorney, UWM police address Jewish threats

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The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office is working in close collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) police department to address newly received threats against Jewish students on campus.

“Our office is currently working with UWM Police to further investigate this matter,” said Milwaukee County District Attorney Chief Deputy Kent Lovern in a statement to the Wisconsin Law Journal on Monday.

UW-Milwaukee Popular University for Palestine’s since deleted Instagram post has also gained the attention of the FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice and local law enforcement.

The post begins by saying “ANY organization or entity that supports Israel is not welcome at UWM.  This includes the local extremist groups such as Hillel, Jewish Federation, etc.”

The post then continues with a veiled threat, “Any organization that has not separated themselves from Israel will be treated as extremist criminals.”

Part of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s mission is Tikkun Olam (repairing the world and improving the society in which we live). Hillel is a peaceful Jewish student organization on university campuses around the world, with the sole mission to build relationships and have a positive community impact. Like the vast majority of Jewish organizations worldwide, the federation and Hilel support Israel’s right to exist.

However, UWM’s Palestine group has been deemed an extremist hate group aligned with middle eastern terrorists’ values who have been terrorizing both Jews and Christians in the streets in Milwaukee and online. In the group’s latest social media post they issued a vailed threat, which members of Wisconsin’s legal community have said is “deeply concerning.”

The same group was responsible for the illegal encampments on the UWM campus.

UWM officials sharply condemned the Palestine group’s post in a statement issued to the Wisconsin Law Journal on Tuesday.

“UWM is aware of the Instagram story posted to the uwm4palicoalition account. UWM condemns in the strongest possible terms the post’s intimidating language and denounces any form of antisemitism. UWM recognizes that the language, if acted upon, would undermine the safety of the UWM community, especially Jewish individuals and organizations,” said Liv Hwang, UWM vice chancellor for marketing, communications and university relations.

“Where speech is not protected by the First Amendment, UWM will address it through appropriate processes, which could include student and student organization disciplinary processes. While hateful or intimidating speech is often legally protected, it conflicts with the respect and conduct we ask of each member of our community. UWM is monitoring the safety of its campus, and UWM has been in contact with the impacted members of its community and is in ongoing communication with them,” Hwang added.

UWM Hillel Director Joshua Herman, son of Milwaukee Attorney Gregg Herman, praised the university’s response and remains hopeful the university will follow through appropriately.

“I think the fact that they publicly denounced the post was a big step in the right direction. Now the question will be will they follow it up with meaningful actions, including fulfilling all of the six requests that we and the Federation sent to the Chancellor and his team,” Herman said.

On June 18, the UWM Chancellor and Board of Regents were presented with six requests by Herman, Hillel International and the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

1. UWM will make a commitment to full and equal representation for Jewish students in any conversations, meetings, or processes that involve Israel/Palestine, BDS, Jewish students’ rights and engagement on campus, or actions that are being demanded of UWM in regard to those and similar issues.

2. A public statement that UWM will not support the Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

3. A public statement that UWM will not tolerate any protest activity that violates Wisconsin law or UWM time, place, and manner regulations governing protest activity, and that such violations will be punished consistent with state law and university policy.

4. A commitment to UWM’s full participation in Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), including an introductory full-day session to be held in person with senior administration leaders to prepare them for their CCI cohort.

5. Establish a Chancellor’s Advisory Committee to meet at least quarterly with Jewish students and representatives from Hillel and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) to discuss issues of concern to Jewish students and the university’s response.

6. A public statement reflecting earlier commitments to retain the name of the Golda Meir Library and support the establishment of an annual memorial lecture in memory of Golda Meir to be held in the library with the sponsorship of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation (MJF) and Hillel Milwaukee.

(Although born abroad, Meir grew up in the Milwaukee-area and graduated from the teaching college that is now a part of UWM).

On Sunday, Hillel Milwaukee also issued a statement.

“Hillel Milwaukee is aware of a recent social media post which included threatening and intimidating language directed at Hillel and the Jewish Federation. We take all such communication very seriously, and are working with the Federation’s security team, university administrators, and law enforcement to address the situation. The safety and security of our students, staff, and facility is our number one priority, and we will continue to work to ensure the safety of our community.

“We are grateful for the university’s swift and unequivocal denouncement of this post. Hillel is the central home for Jewish student life at UWM and throughout Milwaukee. No intimidation will prevent us from continuing to build a vibrant, warm community where students can explore, celebrate, and embrace their Judaism.”

The Milwaukee Jewish Federation also sent a letter out Sunday condemning the post. Click here to view the full letter obtained by the Wisconsin Law Journal.

“We appreciate that the incident is being taken seriously by all involved and do not currently have any statement outside of our communication this afternoon,” said Roberta S. Clark, JCRC executive director, Milwaukee Jewish Federation in a written statement to the Wisconsin Law Journal.

The incident raises questions about where free speech toes the line with threats that can be prosecuted.

Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 947.013, there needs to be an act and a credible threat to satisfy the statutory requirements for a crime to have occurred. A “credible threat” means a threat made with the intent and apparent ability to carry out the threat.

Was this threat credible or too vague to come under said statute?