In a shocking turn of events, a dinner party honoring the graduates of Berkeley Law School took an unsettling turn when an anti-Israel student protester interrupted the event. The incident occurred at the home of Erwin Chemerinsky, the Jewish dean of Berkeley Law School, and his wife, Professor Catherine Fisk, in their backyard.

The disruptive student, identified as Malak Afaneh, can be seen in a widely shared video standing up and offering an Arabic Islamic greeting before demanding that the university divest from corporations funding Israel's role in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Afaneh, adorned in a white "divest" shirt, a black-and-white keffiyeh, and a red hijab, was immediately approached by Chemerinsky and Fisk, who asked her to leave.

The situation quickly escalated as Afaneh and Fisk grappled for the microphone, with another student accusing Fisk of getting "aggressive." The confrontation continued, with Afaneh declaring, "We refuse to break our fast on the blood of Palestinian people," while Fisk pleaded, "You were not invited for this purpose." Another student interjected, claiming that there was a genocide going on.

Responding to the incident, Chemerinsky expressed his sadness at how an event intended to celebrate graduating students had been disrupted. He stated, "I never imagined that something that we do to help our community would become ugly and divisive." Chemerinsky also revealed that he had been a target of antisemitic harassment the previous week, with posters displaying offensive imagery and messages being displayed around campus.

Around 60 students attended the dinner on April 9, and the disruptive incident prompted Fisk to address departing students, saying, "We agree with you about what's going on in Palestine." Another student challenged her, asking what actions had been taken regarding divestment, to which Fisk responded that they did not control the investments.

Following the incident, Afaneh told the Los Angeles Times that she felt assaulted by Fisk and was contemplating pressing charges. Chemerinsky, determined not to let such disruptions deter future events, decided to hold additional dinners for students with security in place to prevent further disruptions.

In a statement, Chemerinsky emphasized his commitment to freedom of speech while expressing deep sadness over the events. He expressed hope that these disruptive actions were perpetrated by only a small number of students and reiterated his efforts to maintain a warm and inclusive community at Berkeley Law School.

As the fallout from the incident continues to unfold, the campus community is left grappling with the implications of this disruption on free speech, respectful discourse, and the fostering of an inclusive environment.