Perdue Criticized for ‘Hamas’ Comment
University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue attributed an uptick in out-of-state applications to a crackdown on pro-Palestine protestors at schools like UGA last spring.
After briefly establishing a “liberation zone” on the North Campus quad in April to protest Israel’s invasion of Gaza, 16 demonstrators were arrested, and a student-run tribunal upheld six students’ suspension through the end of the calendar year in what one defense attorney termed a “kangaroo court.” The university also suspended the local chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Students for Socialism.
“Did you see the differences between some of the universities in the country, and the universities here in the state of Georgia, with the Palestinian, Hamas protests there? You notice a difference?” Perdue said during a Dec. 9 speech at UGA’s Biennial Institute, a conference for newly elected state legislators.
“You know what that’s done? That’s created a huge influx in out-of-state applications to our schools here in Georgia.”
The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Georgia Muslim Voter Project and Jewish Voices for Peace condemned Perdue’s remarks. So did state Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Muslim who comes from a family of Palestinian refugees. “Insinuating that our students are Hamas to justify violently arresting them is beyond the pale,” she said on social media.
Statistics on early admissions applications UGA coincidentally released last week contradicted Perdue’s statement. In-state and out-of-state applications for 2025 rose by similar levels.
Gov. Brian Kemp, who gave a brief keynote address Dec. 10, outlined his priorities for the legislative session starting in January but offered few details. He said he would push for tort reform and policies to counteract lingering high costs for “hardworking Georgians,” and introduce an aid package for victims of Hurricane Helene. Kemp also called on Congress and President Biden to act quickly on Georgia’s request for $12 billion in federal disaster relief.
House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) said Republican lawmakers are interested in enacting a ban on transgender women playing women’s sports, but do not plan to pursue any other anti-trans legislation.
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