SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: The chancellor of a California university has strongly condemned a series of social media posts by an assistant professor, labeling them as "revolting". The posts, which appeared to contain threats against "Zionist journalists", have ignited a firestorm of criticism and concern.
An account affiliated with a University of California, Davis, faculty member Jemma Decristo posted last week on X, stating, "One group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these Zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation… they have houses w addresses, kids in school… they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more."
The post notably concluded with emoticons depicting a knife, axe, and drops of blood.
Decristo's biography page on the UC Davis website displayed an error message at the time, but The Forward reported an archived biography that identified her as "an assistant professor in American studies and African American studies."
Her X account has since been made private.
Internet reacts to the alleged threats
Reactions to the post on X were swift and intense.
Jason Bedrick, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, took to the platform, asking UC Davis, "Do you think it's appropriate that one of your faculty advisors, @jemmaisOKeh is publicly threatening to murder Jews at their homes and their children at their schools?"
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, joined the conversation and stated, "Jemma Decristo is a terrorist and should be arrested immediately."
KC Johnson, a history professor at CUNY Graduate Center, offered his perspective, suggesting, "It seems like the DEI statements California schools demand in the hiring process didn't do much to identify that she doesn't seem disposed to work with all people equally."
Conservative activist Christopher Rufo wrote on X, "Decolonization theory means violence. They want to see Gaza-style terror in the USA," in response to Decristo's post.
But the controversy didn't end there. Decristo was also alleged to have posted a threatening message related to the US embassy.
She retweeted the Iran Observer, which reported that mass numbers of people in Beirut and Lebanon were heading to the US embassy.
Alongside the retweet, Decristo allegedly wrote, "[fire emojis] to the US embassy. US out of everywhere. US GO HOME. US GO HOME."
Journalist Andy Ngo from The Post Millennial responded on X and wrote, "Decristo praised the attacks on U.S. Embassies—violence inspired by disinfo that Israel bombed a Gaza hospital."
This reference was to initial reports suggesting that an attack on Gaza City's Al-Ahli hospital, which resulted in significant casualties, was attributed to Israel. However, Israel denied responsibility, and US intelligence concluded that Israel was not responsible.
University's strong condemnation
Chancellor Gary S May released a statement addressing the issue, expressing strong disagreement with the remarks made by the UC Davis faculty member.
"I absolutely condemn the posts attributed to a UC Davis faculty member that recently appeared on the social media platform X," he stated.
"I find the comments revolting in every way, and I disagree wholeheartedly with them. UC Davis rejects all forms of violence and discrimination, as they are antithetical to the values of our university. We strive to foster a climate of equity and justice built on mutual understanding and respect for all members of the community," he added.
The statement did not confirm whether Decristo had been terminated, but it mentioned that the matter would be reviewed in accordance with university procedures and First Amendment rights.
"The public expression of opinions, even those opinions considered controversial or abhorrent, enjoy a high level of protection under the First Amendment," Chancellor May continued.
"We are carefully reviewing this matter to ensure our response is consistent with universitywide policy and state and federal constitutional protections," he stated.
The professor's remarks gained widespread attention online, particularly in the midst of a series of nationwide campus demonstrations related to anti-Israel and anti-Zionism sentiments, following a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.
The University of California, Davis, is located in northern California just west of the state's capital city, Sacramento.
