On January 10, 2024, Indiana House Representative Chris Jeter (of Fishers) introduced House Bill 1002, a piece of legislation that conflates “antisemitism” with criticism of the Israeli apartheid state. All 12 members, including both Republicans and Democrats, voted to move the bill to the House.
When introducing the bill, Jeter claimed the bill has nothing to do with the criticism of a state or its policies. As the following testimony of PSL member Riley Park demonstrates, however, Jeter’s claims are either ignorant or, more likely, intentionally deceitful. Park, for example, notes that the majority of examples of antisemitism in the bill conflate antisemitism with legitimate critiques of Israel based on indisputable and internationally-recognized facts.
The fight, however, is not yet over. Jeter introduced similar legislation in 2023 that, despite winning the majority of the House over, never made it to the Senate.
Transcript
Good afternoon members of the committee, my name is Riley Park. I’m a graduate student at UIndy [the University of Indianapolis] and a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. I am here to oppose the proposed bill HB1002. This bill gives vague language and definitions to antisemitism and seven of the 11 examples cited in the bill conflate antisemitism with criticism of Israel.
This bill would attempt to undermine and suppress the organizing that has been done on colleges campuses, grassroots organizations and others organizing for Palestinian liberation and an end to genocidal occupation of Palestine by Israel. This is also in violation of free speech and first amendment rights.
For the last 75 years, the Palestinian people have endure a genocidal campaign by the Israeli occupation: where entire houses have been destroyed, land has been seized by illegal settlements, [and] Gaza and the West Bank have been routinely targeted and bombed.
People have been arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned and over 23,000 people have been murdered in Gaza since October. I urge you all to vote no on this bill. Thank you.
Featured photo: Riley Park holds a banner in support of Palestinian resistance against Israeli’s genocidal campaign at a May 18, 2021 protest.
