By Acsah Lemma
In a developing story, additional flyers sharing similarities to flyers deemed “antisemitic” by Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley were spotted on the same bulletin boards in the Liberal Arts budlings, in addition to Peterson Hall.
The original flyer that prompted Conoley to send out a campus-wide email on March 13, targeted Jewish Studies professor Jeffrey Blutinger.
On the flyer, a picture of Blutinger is posted with the statement “genocide denier” and “The CSU accepts violent zionists, white supremacists, colonizers and genocide deniers.”
3/15/24 - Long Beach, Calif: After posters of professor Jeffrey Blutinger were spotted Wednesday and an email from Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley was sent out, Blutinger's posters continued to be spread from the Fine Arts building and Peterson Hall 1 locations. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
While flyers featuring Blutinger were taken down on March 13, they were back up following the day.
On March 14, the original flyers were accompanied by new ones focusing on Vice President of Student Affairs Beth Lesen and Conoley.
The flyer picturing Conoley was posted on a bulletin board right next to the Daily Forty-Niner newsroom, LA4-204.
Phrases including, “Jane Colonist” and “disrespects Indigenous culture” were written under the photo of Conoley, along with other statements seen in the original Blutinger flyers.
3/15/24 - Long Beach, Calif: After Wednesday's email from Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley, more posters were put up the next day which included Conoley herself, naming her "Jane Colonist" and someone who "disrespects indigenous culture." Posters specifically came from Liberal Arts, Fine Arts and Peterson Hall 1. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
Another flyer featuring San Jose State Professor Jonathan Roth was also spotted on the Liberal Arts building bulletin boards.
While Roth is not a CSULB faculty member, an online video shows the professor in an alleged physical altercation with a Pro-Palestinian protestor during a lecture at San Jose State University (SJSU) on Feb. 19, according to the Daily Spartan.
3/15/24 - Long Beach, Calif: Jonathan Roth, a San Jose State University professor, was placed on leave due to an altercation with a student at a pro-Palestinian demonstration. He was one of multiple people who had posters made of them and spread across the school, specifically Liberal Arts and Fine Arts areas. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
The main speaker at the lecture was CSULB professor Blutinger who was “…preparing to speak about finding a peaceful resolution between Israel and Palestine among the conflict in the Middle East,” according to the article.
Pro-Palestinian supporters protested the lecture, calling Blutinger a “Zionist,” according to the article. The altercation involving Roth and a protestor occurred during that lecture.
The lecture was shut down prematurely by the SJSU police department and Blutinger was escorted out of campus by armed police officers according to the article.
No information is known at this time that connects Lesen with the other targeted individuals featured on the flyers.
3/15/24 - Long Beach, Calif: Vice President of Student Affairs Beth Lessen, had posters made of her. They are located in Liberal Arts 4 and some of the inside buildings in the Liberal Arts buildings. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
Aware of the new flyers featuring her face, Conoley said “I think these actions are cruel and cowardly. We have offered spaces for scholarly discussions of a humanitarian disaster. We will continue to do so.”
Conoley continued to compare the actions of the creators of the flyers with university scholars and said an open discussion could present a learning opportunity for the Long Beach State community.
“Others speak openly about their views. The people behind these attacks are attempting to silence others instead of doing what university scholars do — learn from multiple perspectives,” Conoley said.
Long Beach State Chief Communications Officer Jeffrey D. Cook said that incidents like these are “antithetical” to what the campus represents and the community they want the university to foster.
“We embrace diversity of thought and vehemently support the right to free expression, yet flyers targeting specific members of the Beach community are deeply troubling,” Cook said.
Additionally, Cook issues a warning to the individual or individuals responsible for creating and putting up the flyers.
“These incidents are being investigated by our Office of Equity and Compliance,” he said.
The Daily Forty-Niner reached out to Blutinger, Roth and Lesen for comment.
Blutinger declined to comment, while Roth and Lesen have yet to respond to the Daily Forty-Niner’s request.
