A report from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) highlights the involvement of a political activist group linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in funding and organizing anti-Israel protests on college campuses in the U.S. The group, Shut It Down for Palestine (SID4P), is described as anti-capitalist, anti-police, and anti-government, functioning as a hybrid network for demonstrations and direct-action campaigns. The Singham Network, led by Neville Roy Singham, plays a role in supporting these activities, with the alternative media outlets associated with the network amplifying the movement’s message. The report found that SID4P has ties to extremist groups, including those promoting anti-American and anti-Jewish agendas.
The report identifies seven core organizations, known as “Convenors,” that make up SID4P, including Al-Awda NY, National Students for Justice In Palestine (NSJP), and other pro-Palestinian groups. NCRI states that these Convenors have close ties to CCP-affiliated entities and are pushing an anti-American and anti-democratic agenda through their activism. The People’s Forum, one of the Convenors, has been involved in organizing anti-Israel protests following a recent attack on the country by Hamas. NCRI predicts that these organizations will continue to incite unrest throughout the summer of 2024 and into the November elections.
Critics of the anti-Israel demonstrations, like Liora Rez of StopAntisemitism, see these protests as a way for authoritarian groups to advance a destructive, anti-Western ideology through campaigns that appear to support social justice and anti-colonialism. Rez, who has personal experience with Marxist tactics from her family’s time in the Soviet Union, believes that the Chinese-linked network behind these protests is using similar strategies to promote hatred and division. Ivana Stradner of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies notes that China has adopted Russia’s playbook for influencing the U.S., focusing on building a positive image of the CCP and exploiting social divisions to polarize America.
The Network Contagion Research Institute points to a well-funded initiative that is driving an anti-government, anti-capitalist agenda through these protests, using organizations like SID4P as tools for foreign entities hostile to the U.S. The report warns of continued unrest and incitement by these groups, potentially leading to disruptions and unrest in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. The involvement of Chinese-linked networks in these activities, as well as ties to extremist groups pushing anti-American and anti-Jewish messages, raises concerns about the underlying motivations and goals of these protests and organizations.
Experts like Liora Rez and Ivana Stradner see the protests and activism connected to the Chinese-linked network as a way to sow chaos and division in the U.S. using tactics reminiscent of Marxism and authoritarian regimes. The use of hatred towards Jews and anti-American sentiments in these protests align with the broader agenda of undermining Western civilization and promoting destructive ideologies. As China adapts and expands its influence operations, leveraging social divisions and amplifying far-left narratives, the risk of further unrest and polarization in the U.S. grows. The report from NCRI sheds light on the complex web of connections and agendas driving these anti-Israel protests and calls attention to the need for vigilance and awareness of foreign influence in domestic activism.
