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Jay Sures, the Vice Chairman of UTA and a member of the University of California Board of Regents, recently became the focus of a protest by a pro-Palestinian activist group. This incident unfolded at his Brentwood residence, where demonstrators left bloody handprints on his front door.
Sures expressed to TheWrap that he believes the protest was driven by antisemitism, organized by the group Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine. He stated, “It’s an anti-Semitic act. If I wasn’t Jewish, they wouldn’t do this.”
According to Sures, the activists trespassed on his property and created a scene meant to intimidate. He recounted an incident where his wife, Linda, was unable to leave their home in her vehicle for approximately 20 minutes as protestors surrounded her until law enforcement arrived at the scene.
In further comments reported by Deadline, Sures highlighted the targeted nature of the protests against him, citing his Jewish identity and his vocal advocacy for Jewish students within the UC system. “I’ve been outspoken about the cause, about protecting our Jewish students,” he stated, adding that such actions are intended to coerce individuals like himself into silencing their advocacy.
Sures has played a pivotal role in shaping policies within the UC system, particularly concerning the restrictions on departments issuing political statements outside their academic focus. His leadership was instrumental in establishing the UC Regents Policy on Public and Discretionary Statements by Academic Units, which seeks to delineate institutional communications from personal or departmental opinions.
In a call distributed on social media for the protest, Sures was portrayed as a figure who profits from violence and stifles dissent. Activists denounced his affiliations with the LAPD Foundation and Jewish organizations, explicitly stating their intent to bring attention to his actions that they perceive as suppressive.
One social media post from the People’s City Council characterized the protest, stating, “This morning – UCLA students are outside UC Regent ‘Jay’ Sures house! Students refuse to stay silent…” Additionally, vivid accusations were made against Sures on platforms like Instagram, highlighting claims that he had attempted to intimidate dissenting faculty and students regarding the situation in Gaza.
As reported by The Daily Bruin, the protest, organized by the university’s Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine, saw participation from around 50 masked demonstrators who left caution tape and flyers on Sures’ property.
Sures voiced his concerns about the escalation of the protest, which he described as more than just a peaceful demonstration. “It’s one thing to peacefully protest, but to violate the hundred-foot rule and to disturb the entire neighborhood is a big escalation,” he remarked, expressing his intent to pursue legal action if the participants could be identified. Although the LAPD was called to disperse the crowd, no arrests were reported.
Jay Sures was appointed to the UC Board of Regents in January 2019 after being nominated by former Governor Jerry Brown and later reappointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in March 2020. Beyond his role on the board, Sures leads UTA’s news and broadcasting divisions, representing notable figures such as Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon.
Source
www.thewrap.com