A Texas-based mobile company is intensifying its efforts to counter the anti-Jewish protests sweeping across college campuses nationwide.
Patriot Mobile, a Christian wireless service provider, has teamed up with Jewish Lives Matter organization to fly banners above universities where protesters have set up camp.
Last week, a banner flying over Columbia University in New York read, “God Bless Israel,” as reported by Patriot Mobile.
The company is sponsoring more banners in support of Israel, and this week, they are set to fly over campuses such as UCLA, USC, UT-Austin, Austin Texas State Capitol, Harvard University, and Boston College.
Glenn Story, CEO of Patriot Mobile, stated in a press release, “We want to encourage our Jewish students, let them know that Christians across the nation stand with them, and we stand with Israel. Anti-Semitism has no place in America, and we oppose this hatred.”
The company has long been a supporter of Israel and has sponsored multiple events against anti-Semitism, including the upcoming “Support Israel, Support Jewish Students and Oppose Anti-Semitism Rally” to be held in Dallas on May 5.
Leigh Wambsganss, Chief Communications Officer of Patriot Mobile, said, “We unequivocally condemn the hate and violence allowed to occur on college campuses across America.”
“These protesters seek to intimidate rather than communicate or even debate. Patriot Mobile is dedicated to religious and speech freedoms, thus the First Amendment is one of our four pillars. Preventing Jewish students from entering, occupying campus buildings, and resorting to violence are not forms of free speech.”
On October 7, Israel was attacked by the terrorist organization Hamas, resulting in 1,200 deaths and hundreds taken hostage. At least 130 Jewish individuals remain missing, with some believed to have died. In response, Israel conducted strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in an attempt to dismantle Hamas.
In recent weeks, anti-Israel protests, demonstrations, and encampments have been ongoing on college campuses nationwide.
Protesters are calling for universities to divest from Israel, accusing them of funding genocide in Gaza, a claim Israel denies.
Earlier on April 30, dozens of protesters at Columbia University attacked the campus after refusing to abide by set departure deadlines, occupying an academic building.
The protesters set up a camp there, occupying much of the lawn over the past two weeks. On April 29, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik stated negotiations had reached an impasse. She ordered protesters to vacate or face suspension.
Students stormed Hamilton Hall and erected barricades there. They displayed a sign reading “intifada” in front of the building, which means uprising in Arabic.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the American Muslim Student Association, and Muslim Youth and others are leading calls to “Defend Gaza” and hold supporting protest activities.
In an email sent to The Epoch Times, Corey Saylor, CAIR’s Director of Research and Advocacy, told attendees, “Your revolution is to stop genocide.”
“The protests of George Floyd remind America that we need to have some difficult conversations in our country,” Saylor added. “Seeing the fortress of academic freedom deploy law enforcement against its own students and faculty in support of ending genocide shows that these uncomfortable conversations are still unwelcome.”
In the past week, protesters have also attempted to occupy the University of Texas at Austin.
On April 29, officials at the University of Texas at Austin deployed law enforcement to dismantle the protesters’ camp and arrested over 70 protesters who refused to leave the campus.
Last week, 57 people were arrested for defying dispersal orders. Delia Garza, Travis County Prosecutor in Texas, stated that those arrested were released due to “deficiencies” in the arrest affidavit, and the charges were later dropped.
For the past two weeks, at least 800 people have been arrested at universities across the United States.