Youngkin Administration Outrageous Claims on Virginia Campus Protests

On Wednesday, Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Jon Schleffer addressed the House Select Committee on Maintaining Campus Safety and First Amendment Expression that was established after police violence directed toward protesters. Schleffer is a former DEA agent that was appointed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Deputy Secretary Schleffer expressed a number of statements that question his credibility. Here is a list of some of the outrageous claims that he made.

1. “After 10/7 we immediately saw the protest against Jews not just in America but on our college campuses.”This is not true because protests have been centered around the massive civilian death toll since October 7, not Jewish identity. Protests have included members of the Jewish faith.
2. “We see and hear of students, Jewish students unable go to class out of fear of protests on campus and they weren't even able to wear religious artifacts to go to class as fear of getting called out by other students and more disturbing faculty members at the universities.”This claim is something that seems to be undocumented, especially faculty members at universities calling out students were religious artifacts. An IDF uniform isn’t a religious artifact.
3. “At no time of America do I know that one class of person, one religion are being targeted, and I don't think this would happen for any other race religion or creed.”I mean come on. Right now, transgender people are being targeted. Hispanic immigrants are being targeted. The level of hate crimes against Muslim and Arabs in the aftermath of 9/11. Even the genocide against Native Americans, Jim Crow era, and the internment of Japanese Americans. Looking at historical data with any group involving hate crimes has always been lacking. But that’s an outrageous claim to say that at no time in America.
4. “Prior War, anti-war protests have focused on the war itself, but not targeting a specific person or a student. Jewish students on campuses are not the ones behind the war in the Middle East.”Let’s ignore the fact that American soldiers during the Vietnam War were routinely called baby killers. The target of campus protests have always focused on divestment of Israel.
5. “Since 10/7 we've seen most of these protests are being operated being organized by Students for Justice of Palestine. We know that SJP has roots and support to foreign terrorist organizations to include the country of Iran. This is a coordinated effort from overseas to disrupt activities in America they are being financed and led and supported by it. Not all the students that go to these rallies even know this but they're being pawns to draw a wedge in our society.”To openly accuse SJP of being funded by Iran is just absurd. If Schleffer believed that to be true, he would be calling on them to have criminal charges. The only case I can find is, one person at American Muslims for Palestine (not SJP) used to work at another organization that was found to be supporting terrorist. Even if Iran were funding protests (which is an unsubstantiated claim,) the protests would still happen. The wedge already exists and this is shifting the blame to Iran.
6. “Often in law enforcement when you see a large presence of law enforcement it is seen as an invading Army. But when you go with force and you have enough officers or Troopers there it is actually a de-escalation technique, so it doesn't have to go into an arrest.”When he said that, there was laugher that caused the meeting to be paused. The presence of Virginia State Police did not de-escalate situations from requiring arrests. Double digit arrests occurred in VCU, UVA, Virginia Tech, and Mary Washington with Virginia State Police deployed. None of the protesters arrested at VCU were charged with assault on an officer.
7. “During the protest at VCU we saw bear spray used against lawenforcement, rocks being thrown water bottles being thrown.”Richmond Police officers were the only ones seen using pepper spray. Protesters being sprayed include people who were recording on their phones.
8. Barriers were made from wooden pallets and secured with zip ties. These items were purchased, delivered in an organized manner. Clearly someone or some group was funding this protest and coordinating the counter response to law enforcement. This led to approximately 10 officers from the VCU and RPD to be injured as well as our great state troopers.”Here’s a fun fact, I used to pass behind the Richmond Police third precinct every day in 2021. There was always a sign that said, “free pallets.” You can get free pallets in Richmond right now. I would like to know how Schleffer came to the conclusion that pallets used by protesters were purchased. Also, Virginia State Police Lt Col Kirk Marlow said that he was not aware of any injuries to VSP officers.