UC Berkeley Law Dean and Wife Face Backlash After Altercation with a Palestinian Student

The final day of Ramadan at UC Berkeley Law took an unexpected turn when a graduation luncheon sponsored by Dean Erwin Chemerinsky became a source of contention and disagreement. The event, which was supposed to commemorate the accomplishments of graduating law students, became a venue for protest against the law school’s alleged investments and culpability in the Palestinian issue.

During the dinner, Malak Afaneh, Head of Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine, addressed the audience, highlighting concerns about the school’s interests in alleged conflict-related enterprises. Afaneh brought up the rumored $2 million investment in weapons makers including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and BlackRock, causing intense disagreement among attendees.

The scene erupted when UC Berkeley Law Professor Catherine Fisk, who is also Dean Chemerinsky’s wife, was seen on tape engaged in a physical conflict with a Palestinian Muslim hijabi law student exercising her right to free expression. The video spread quickly, eliciting indignation and criticism from students and professors alike.