Josh Honn, a Humanities and Prison Education Librarian at Northwestern University (NU) in Evanston, Illinois, has emerged as a vocal supporter of extremist pro-Palestinian activism. In 2024, Honn was arrested for obstructing a peace officer during illegal anti-Israel encampments on NU’s campus—one of only four university-affiliated individuals to face legal consequences. While charges were later dropped, NU issued him a final written warning following an internal investigation, threatening further disciplinary action for future violations. Despite this, Honn continues to push dangerous rhetoric, justifying antisemitism and promoting extremist narratives under the guise of academic freedom.
Defending Extremism, Justifying Hate
🔴 Minimizing Antisemitism:
Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Honn accused Northwestern of creating an “intentional environment” where faculty and staff are afraid to express pro-Palestinian views. When confronted with the hateful rhetoric often heard at these protests, he dismissed concerns by claiming:
“Maybe it makes you uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make you unsafe to listen and to hear and respect perspectives about Palestine.”
🔴 Blaming ‘Right-Wing’ Influence:
Honn further claimed that Northwestern’s actions were driven by pressure from the Board of Trustees and “extremely right-wing conservative congresspeople.” This is a common deflection tactic used by campus activists to avoid addressing their movement’s well-documented ties to antisemitic violence.
🔴 Spreading Violent, Genocidal Rhetoric:
Following the encampments, Honn shut down his Instagram account, but not before Twitter users captured screenshots of his pro-Palestinian posts promoting violence and genocidal slogans. His attempt to erase his digital footprint only underscores his awareness of how damning his public statements were.
An Inciter of Extremism
Josh Honn is not a neutral academic. He is an activist who has engaged in illegal activities, spread extremist rhetoric, and justified the targeting of Jews and Zionists under the false pretense of free speech. His position at NU raises serious concerns about his influence over students and the academic resources he controls.
Protect Our Campus will continue exposing those who enable antisemitism and extremism in higher education. Northwestern University should take immediate action before Honn’s activism leads to further radicalization on campus
