Graeme Blair, a professor at UCLA, has become a vocal defender of the most radical elements of the pro-Palestinian protest movement on campus. Under the pretense of supporting student activism, Blair has repeatedly aligned himself with encampments that glorified terrorism, spread antisemitic propaganda, and violated university policies. His deep involvement in these protests—along with his public defiance of university leadership and open calls for confrontation—has positioned him not as a neutral academic, but as a faculty activist enabling and defending extremist movements.

Graeme Blair, a Faculty Member Turned Protest Fixture

Blair was not a passive observer. He was a daily presence at the 2024 UCLA encampments and played a central organizing role, helping manage logistics, speeches, and outreach. According to legal filings and press coverage:

• He staffed tables inside the encampment and coordinated faculty walkouts in protest of administrative actions.

• He delivered speeches and teach-ins from within the encampments, framing the protests as “educational spaces,” while ignoring their role in promoting extremist rhetoric and inciting chaos.

• On May 1, 2024, Blair helped organize a faculty rally and press conference opposing the university’s crackdown on the protest.

Arrested for Defying University Orders

Blair was arrested on May 2, 2024, after refusing to vacate the encampment following police orders. At the time of his arrest:

• He was holding a sign that read “UCLA Faculty and Staff Support our Students.”

• He identified himself as faculty while being detained under California Penal Code section 409 for unlawful assembly.

Despite his arrest and the law enforcement warnings, Blair doubled down, claiming the university betrayed its community, and calling the campus police operation “violence” against students.

Suing the University, Fueling the Fire

Blair later became a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against UCLA and the University of California Regents, accusing them of violating the “free speech rights” of protesters. According to the legal complaint:

• Blair’s promotion to full professor was allegedly blocked due to his activism.

• He blamed Chancellor Gene Block and the UC system for the clashes between protesters and police, going so far as to claim that “their blood is on Gene Block’s hands.”

• He demanded a student-led investigation into the police response and joined faculty groups calling for leadership resignations.

A Defender of Antisemitism Under the Banner of Protest

Blair was also a member of Faculty for Students for Justice in Palestine–UCLA (FSJP-UCLA), a group that has consistently defended anti-Israel activism even when it crossed into antisemitic incitement. Among his actions:

• He marched with 50 other faculty members to publicly reject accusations of antisemitism against the protest movement, despite documented hate speech and harassment of Jewish students.

• He condemned university statements labeling the encampments “unauthorized” as the cause of violence, completely omitting any responsibility for the mob-like behavior of activists.

Under Investigation for Professional Misconduct

In June 2024, Blair received formal notice that UCLA had launched an internal investigation against him for violations of the Faculty Code of Conduct, including:

• Inciting students to disobey university rules

• Disrupting university operations

• Harassing campus community members

• Misusing university resources for unauthorized activity

The charges stemmed from his repeated defense of the encampments and his role in escalating campus tensions under the guise of academic solidarity.

A Faculty Member Who Chose Radicalism Over Responsibility

Graeme Blair presents himself as a principled advocate for student rights—but his record reveals a different story. From encouraging illegal occupations to defending antisemitic agitators, Blair has abandoned the impartial role of an educator in favor of activism that legitimizes hate and shields extremists from accountability.

Rather than promoting peace or dialogue, Blair has chosen sides—and aligned himself with radicalism.

He’s not just standing with students. He’s standing with a movement that has made Jewish students unsafe. And he’s done it proudly, unapologetically, and from within the very institution tasked with protecting academic integrity.