Andrew Ross is a longtime radical activist and vocal apologist for terrorism who has leveraged his academic platform to justify violence, glorify antisemitic rhetoric, and spread propaganda aligned with groups like Hamas. Far from fostering critical inquiry, Ross uses his position a Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University to legitimize hatred and turn academic institutions into ideological battlegrounds. His actions and affiliations have fostered a campus climate hostile to Jewish students and fundamentally at odds with the principles of higher education.
Arrested for Campus Agitation and Antisemitic Provocation
Ross’s public radicalism reached a peak in December 2024 when he was arrested during an illegal pro-Hamas encampment at NYU. Rather than promoting peaceful dissent, Ross embraced chaos—leading chants, disrupting university life, and aligning himself with groups that target Jewish students.
His arrest wasn’t an isolated event; it was the result of years of deliberate escalation.
- December 15, 2024: Ross was arrested at NYU after helping organize an unauthorized encampment and leading chants of “Free Palestine!”
- Following his arrest, NYU banned Ross from campus due to security concerns.
- He was named in a lawsuit alleging “egregious acts of antisemitism,” highlighting his role in fostering a hostile environment.
Ross treated his arrest as a badge of honor—proof of his commitment to the cause—but it was, in fact, a symbol of his abandonment of academic responsibility in favor of political extremism.
Denial of Hamas Atrocities and Justification of Terror
In the days following the October 7 Hamas massacre—the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust—Ross not only refused to condemn the atrocities but actively reframed them as justified resistance. This deliberate distortion of truth is what makes Ross especially dangerous on campus: he teaches students that mass murder can be explained away if committed against the “right” targets.
Ross did not mourn the victims—he rationalized their slaughter.
- October 25, 2023: Ross spoke at a Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) rally, less than three weeks after the massacre, and framed the attack as part of a “colonial war.”
- He dismissed Hamas’s crimes, stating: “It is not a conflict. It is a colonial war.”
- He positioned himself as a representative of “the cause of Palestine,” ignoring the human cost of terrorism and normalizing extremist ideology.
By doing so, Ross gave moral cover to atrocities that included rape, beheadings, and mass hostage-taking. His refusal to acknowledge these crimes is an act of historical denialism—and a betrayal of academic truth.
Deep Ties to Extremist Movements Disguised as Scholarship
Ross’s rhetoric is not an isolated viewpoint; it is part of a sustained campaign to inject radical, pro-Hamas activism into academia. Through his affiliations with extremist organizations, he has helped build a network that pushes anti-Jewish narratives into classrooms, student groups, and faculty bodies.
These aren’t scholarly efforts—they’re ideological movements designed to dismantle the Jewish state and demonize its supporters.
- Member of the Organizing Collective and Advisory Board of the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI), which promotes total isolation of the Jewish state from the global community.
- Founding member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP), a group that pushes Hamas-aligned talking points on campuses across the country.
- Organizer of Israel Apartheid Week, a global campaign of disinformation that equates Jewish self-determination with apartheid and legitimizes violent resistance.
Ross’s affiliations function as a pipeline—moving propaganda from the fringes of political activism into university lecture halls.
Promoting Violence Through Academic Work
Ross hasn’t confined his activism to rallies or petitions. Through his books, films, and articles, he has spent years glorifying violence and encouraging young people to see terrorism as noble resistance. His publications often blur the line between historical commentary and incitement.
Ross is not critiquing policy—he is elevating violence to the level of principle.
- 2019: Published Stone Men: The Palestinians Who Built Israel, a book that accuses Jews of exploitation and positions Israel’s existence as inherently illegitimate.
- 2016: Wrote an article glorifying a Palestinian attacker as a “martyr,” stating:
“A knife is not a gun, but it is also more than a rock… something new is about to be born.”
- 2015: Co-created The Coming Intifada, a film that romanticizes violent uprisings, including suicide bombings and shootings.
- 2014: Authored an article accusing Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and “settler-colonialism,” echoing language used by terror groups.
These works don’t just shape ideas—they shape campus politics, where students are encouraged to see Jewish identity and self-defense as forms of oppression.
A Threat to NYU’s Integrity and Student Safety
Ross has transformed his classroom into a platform for indoctrination, not education. His activism undermines NYU’s responsibility to protect all students; especially those targeted by the ideologies he promotes. By shielding terror, spreading antisemitism, and normalizing violence, Ross poses a direct threat to the safety of Jewish students and the credibility of academic inquiry.
His legacy is one of distortion, division, and danger.
- He legitimizes violence in the name of justice.
- He radicalizes students under the banner of scholarship.
- He encourages the belief that Jewish identity is inherently oppressive—and that violence is an acceptable response.
Andrew Ross is not an educator. He is a propagandist who has spent years weaponizing academia to normalize hate, dismantle Jewish legitimacy, and make campuses unsafe for those who stand against extremism.