Hebrew U dean slams arrest of man who heckled Ben Gvir at graduation ceremony

The dean of Hebrew University’s humanities faculty decries the arrest of a young man who heckled National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, as he attended a graduation ceremony where his wife was receiving a degree.

“I deeply regret the police’s decision to arrest him,” writes Prof. Elisheva Baumgarten in an email circulated to university staff, saying that the arrest was not something she was aware of “in real time” as she stood onstage.

“The right to protest is an important right, and the police’s decision to arrest the guest stands in complete contradiction to the position of tolerance and free expression upon which the university and the State of Israel as a democratic state are based,” her email reads.

According to Baumgarten, the university arranged security in advance for the far-right minister, anticipating his presence would spark protests from other guests. He and his wife sat separately from the rest of the crowd, close to the stage.

Ben Gvir and university administrators had apparently agreed that university security guards would deal with any problems that may arise from his attendance. Police escorting the minister would only intervene if a “serious issue” came about, Baumgarten says.

One of the guests, who was accompanying his girlfriend, who had been receiving a degree, began to shout at the minister, disturbing the ceremony. He was booted from the event by university security and did not return.

It was only after he was removed from the area that police accompanying Ben Gvir arrested the guest, Baumgarten claims.

הסניף הירושלמי של משטרת בן גביר בפעולה: צעיר נעצר ונאזק אחרי שצעק על איתמר בן גביר כשהגיע לטקס חלוקת תארים באוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים.
לפי עדי ראיה, האיש החל לצעוק על השר, הורחק ע"י מאבטחים וכפי שניתן לראות נאזק ע"י שוטרים בשטח האוניברסיטה ונלקח לחקירה. pic.twitter.com/8YExy3VYiE

— Josh Breiner (@JoshBreiner) November 6, 2025