The following text is an accompanying post by Irish Marxist Kevin Ovenden:

"The riot police stood aside as a fanatically pro-Israel mob attacked the Palestine encampment at UCLA. The university authorities then announce a ban on the camp citing "safety".

In so doing they authenticate and legitimise para-state activity by the LA police and a far-right mob.

For that is what this very violent attack is. An aspect of the far right in the US. The fact that it was under the banner of supporting the extreme right government of Israel and its genocidal war or that some of the thugs are Jewish is neither here nor there.

This is a face of the far-right in the US. These are of the stable of Meir Kahane and Yigal Amir. They are using organised violence against the left, progressives and political opponents.

It is high time that while of course fighting actual antisemitism and the far right in toto we as a left refused the excuse that Zionist zealots behaving in this way, with state support or connivence are anything other than another aspect of the radicalising and violent right.

It is a step change from simply lying about the pro-Palestine movement, as the conservative self-proclaimed leaders of Jewish communities do, or their attempts to crush growing Jewish opinion opposed to the war.

This is crossing the threshold to what is actually racist violence, violence with the aim of sustaining a racial superiority politically. It should be seen as that.

All support for the students attacked by far-right thugs at UCLA."