The Battle for Free Speech: ADL vs. Palestine

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has been leading the charge against Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters in the United States, equating anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The ADL has called for law enforcement to surveil and investigate student activists, and even labeled Jewish Voice for Peace as a "hate group." By weaponizing antisemitism, the ADL aims to silence critics of Israel and maintain the status quo. This McCarthyite climate of fear and repression is reminiscent of the ADL's history of working with law enforcement to criminalize Black and brown communities. The ADL's actions undermine free speech and civil rights, while supporting right-wing extremism and institutionalizing white supremacy.