‘Any unused funds will be directly given to Palestinian liberation organizers,’ suspended NYU student Hafiza Khalique writes in GoFundMe
(Support for Hafiza Khalique GoFundMe)
A New York University student suspended from campus and stripped of her scholarships for tearing down posters of Israeli hostages is now begging for financial support “to cover costs for therapy.”
Hafiza Khalique on Wednesday posted the GoFundMe, in which she portrays herself as a victim of “racist doxxing, Islamophobia, intimidation, [and] targeted smear campaigns.” The fundraising effort comes weeks after NYU quietly suspended Khalique for vandalizing “university property or the property of others,” a reference to Khalique’s decision in October to tear down posters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Khalique, who has already raised roughly half of her $10,000 goal, said in her GoFundMe description that the “inflammatory” posters were “used to normalize Israel’s genocide against Palestinians.” She also announced her intention to leave NYU, citing a “hostile environment” that has driven her to seek therapy.
“I received racist, sexist, fatphobic, Islamophobic, disturbing and vile messages on every platform,” Khalique wrote. “My photos and videos were broadcasted live on right-wing news outlets … putting my life in imminent danger.”
“As a result, I was forced to drop most of my classes for my physical and mental safety,” Khalique continued. “Please help me raise funds to cover costs for therapy, application fees, tuition, housing, and all educational expenses abroad.” Any unused funds, Khalique said, “will be directly given to Palestinian liberation organizers and students.”
Khalique, who describes herself as a “queer woman of color” and uses “she/they” pronouns, is from the Detroit area, where she says she’s been involved in left-wing activism since high school. Khalique in a July 2022 op-ed characterized Detroit as “progressive on issues of race” but lamented that “homophobia and transphobia remain common” in the city.
“As a queer student, it should not be my responsibility to guide my peers and teachers to unlearn homophobia and transphobia; it is mentally exhausting,” Khalique wrote, citing “stares” she received while wearing a pride flag at school.
Khalique went on to serve as an “Anti-Militarist Organizing Fellow” at Dissenters, an anti-Israel liberal advocacy group that says it is “taking back our resources from elites, and their violent wars, prisons, police, weapons, and walls.”
While Khalique was unapologetic over her decision to tear down posters of abducted Israelis—she blamed “powerful, wealthy families [and] institutions” for sparking outrage over her actions—Khalique’s accomplice in the ordeal did attempt to distance herself from the move. That NYU student, Yazmeen Deyhimi, said she tore down the posters after finding it “increasingly difficult to know my place as a biracial brown woman.”
“I have felt more and more frustrated about the time we currently find ourselves in,” Deyhimi wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post, “and that misplaced anger into actions that are not an accurate representation of who I am as a person.”
How do supporters argue that Hafiza Khalique’s actions were driven by a desire to raise awareness about the Palestinian cause?
/09/08/dcl-suspends-ex-michigan-teacher-hafiza-khalique-license-urges-investigation-of-hijab-pull/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>previously worked as a teacher in Michigan, has faced backlash and calls for further investigations after video footage emerged of her forcefully removing posters from a bulletin board on campus. The posters, which depicted images of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, were put up as part of a campaign to raise awareness about the plight of these individuals.
In her GoFundMe post, Khalique alleges that her actions were motivated by her belief that the posters were being used to normalize what she referred to as Israel’s ”genocide against Palestinians.” She claims that she was subjected to a wave of hate messages and threats as a result of her actions, which forced her to drop several of her classes for her own safety. Khalique argues that the suspension and loss of scholarships only add to the financial burden she now faces and hopes that supporters will contribute to covering her therapy, application fees, tuition, housing, and other educational expenses abroad.
While Khalique has managed to raise a significant amount towards her goal, her plea for financial assistance has been met with mixed responses. Supporters argue that her actions were driven by a desire to raise awareness about the Palestinian cause and that she should not be financially penalized for expressing her views. Others, however, see her actions as a violation of free speech and an act of vandalism that warranted the disciplinary actions taken against her.
The controversy surrounding Khalique’s case extends beyond the immediate circumstances and strikes at the heart of larger debates concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, freedom of expression, and the role of universities in maintaining a safe and inclusive environment. Critics argue that her actions crossed a line and constituted harassment towards those who put up the posters, while Khalique and her supporters maintain that her actions were an act of protest against perceived injustices.
Given the sensitive and complex nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is likely that opinions on Khalique’s case will remain deeply divided. The university has yet to release a statement addressing her fundraising efforts, and it remains to be seen how the funds will be used if her goal is reached. Regardless, the incident has sparked important conversations surrounding the responsibilities and boundaries of activism on college campuses and the need for respectful dialogue and understanding in addressing contentious issues.
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