KTTH OPINION

Rantz Exclusive: UW Professor stalked and harassed at Seattle autonomous ‘Liberated Zone’

May 5, 2024, 5:55 PM | Updated: May 6, 2024, 8:51 am

UW Liberated Zone...

The Seattle autonomous "Liberated Zone" on the University of Washington (UW) campus. (Photo courtesy of UW Professor Stuart Reges)

(Photo courtesy of UW Professor Stuart Reges)

A computer science professor at the University of Washington (UW) was stalked and harassed at the Seattle autonomous “Liberated Zone” by activists cosplaying as security. UW President Ana Marie Cauce refuses to clear the encampment, even though it’s a clear threat to safety and discriminatory to Jewish students. And despite claims, it appears that UW Police are not allowed to enter without cause.

Professor Stuart Reges was touring the autonomous encampment on Thursday for The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. He did not get a hospitable welcome.

Almost immediately, because he was filming, he was surrounded by activists with umbrellas, a tool favored by Antifa because they can be used as weapons and can block cameras effectively.

“Guys, mask up, mask up,” a female activist warned her antisemitic comrades as they paint signs, including “Queers for Palestine.” A male activist said, “cover up!”

The group, which is later joined by an unmasked “de-escalation” activist in a yellow vest, then surrounds Reges for just shy of 10 minutes before he stopped recording. They didn’t merely block his view, they also got so uncomfortably close that he might bump into them. This is a common tactic taken by Antifa and other left-wing radicals. When you bump into them, they claim assault, which they think justifies them to get more aggressive with you. They also try to egg their victims into a physical altercation for the same reason.

Did activists continue to stalk professors at the autonomous UW Liberated Zone?

On Friday, Reges returned to the UW Liberated Zone to film. It grew larger overnight, with more than 100 tents by Sunday night and more white students and adults in keffiyehs. There are also more faux-security and professional activists who claim they are “trained” to talk to the media. That means they memorized a handful of talking points so that they’re not caught saying something overtly antisemitic.

Within a few minutes, the professor was again confronted by extremist activists. One asked, “What’s your deal here?” while a second one opened an umbrella. They didn’t respond when Reges asked if they were students at UW.

The activist with the umbrella briefly attempted to block Reges while he filmed an expanded portion of the UW Liberated Zone. But Reges walked away and they didn’t initially follow.

He recorded a number of tents and new signs, including “Never again means never again for anyone” (with a star of David), “Cops r cringe” (with an image of a pig) and “Support Palestinian resistance,” a nod to the Hamas terrorists these students and outsiders are rooting for. There was another section for “gay nail painting” with a sign that reads, “Nonbinaries for a Free Palestine” (though they would never be welcome).

The medic tent was well staffed and stocked with eye-washing solution, based on their fear they’ll face police pepper spray or tear gas. Nearby, there was a painted flyer with Antifa and anarchist insignia declaring, “Death to fascists.” Reges also made a brief stop at the “Liberation Library.”

Reges captured images of wooden pallets that will be used by the open-border Progressive activists to unironically create a border around the encampment.

What are antisemitic activists told to do when talking to police?

Reges stopped by an unmanned safety booth. It offered a look at the advice students and their outside activist friends are told to do to keep each other safe and conceal their identities for when they break the law.

“At an action … Don’t talk to cops ever! Cover up. Hide as much of your identifying features (face, hair, tattoos) as possible. Wear neutral clothing. Don’t call people by their name. Don’t refer to anyone as an ‘organizer/lead.’

A flyer offers resources on how to be bailed out of jail once arrested for unlawful actions passed as activism. But given the lack of UW Police at the autonomous UW Liberated Zone, these students don’t yet have much to worry about.

UW activists — and adults who aren’t students — plot tactics against police

But when the professor went deeper into the encampment, the umbrella-wielding activist returned to harass him, along with another male activist who repeatedly said, “I’ll stand right here” while attempting to block the camera.

Reges stopped by a session where activists, hiding behind masks and umbrellas, discussed “tactics” to take to “keep each other safe.” The leader also mentioned good tips: Wear sunscreen and stay hydrated during an upcoming march! Activists again stood in front of Reges to try to block him from filming.

When Reges went to a pro-Israel table that was staged elsewhere on the life-threatening quad. They were friendly, answered questions and welcomed Reges filming them.

More from Jason Rantz: Some anti-Israel extremists privately plotting violence against Seattle cops

Are police allowed to enter the autonomous UW Liberated Zone? Not until a Jew is attacked

A UW spokesperson would not directly answer specific questions about whether or not UW Police can enter into the autonomous UW Liberated Zone. It appears that officers have been told to stay away unless there’s physical violence.

Though administrators know that Reges — and others — have been harassed, spokesperson Victor Balta said, “We do not condone any harassment or criminal activity. We encourage anyone experiencing or witnessing any such action to report it to UWPD.”

Except they do condone harassment and criminal activity. It’s why they won’t allow UW Police to enter.

Instead, if a victim calls for help, they’re not offered to meet with an officer on-site and are forced to provide a statement over the phone. It’s what happened to a student who was assaulted when his Israeli flag was stolen during an illegal occupation of the UW student center that resulted in thousands of dollars in vandalism.

There is no proactive policing, despite the threat

When asked if UW Police have permission to proactively enter the autonomous UW Liberated Zone without being called to an emergency, Balta dodged the question.

“UWPD is doing its job as appropriate,” Balta said. This too is false.

Doing the bare minimum in a way they think will allow them to escape legal liability for the hate encampment, UW administrators placed sandwich boards around the quad. The boards noted it’s illegal to camp out on the property. But the antisemitic student activists vandalized and stole the boards.

If the “UWPD is doing its job as appropriate,” there wouldn’t be an encampment. One has to wonder why someone would become a UW police officer if they’re ordered to stand by as Jews and Jewish allies are illegally targeted. Perhaps they’re waiting for the victims to be black or transgender? Then they’d be able to do their jobs.

More from Jason Rantz: Watch an unhinged student yell ‘shame’ at pro-Israel man at UW encampment

On the plus side…

There is one positive with the encampment. These students are siding with antisemitism and trafficking in hate. But, those visiting the UW Liberated Zone aren’t there for Palestinians. These are lonely children (and adults) looking for something to do. They found their fellow social outcasts; vegans and part-time baristas to enjoy an afternoon on the quad with.

The group sessions talking about how to keep one another safe are little more than dramatics. They like the idea that they’re unsafe, fighting against invisible Zionist forces and Jewish conspiracies to attack in the night. One student said she saw her martial arts professor patrolling at night, implying the professor was keeping them safe.

This illegal direct action is performative. They’ve done literally nothing to impact Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists. They just give themselves the delusion of giving back, filling that void in what’s left of their soul before going back to their parents’ homes in Kirkland and Sammamish to do laundry for the week.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Rantz Exclusive: UW Professor stalked and harassed at Seattle autonomous ‘Liberated Zone’