Spielberg decries 'machinery of extremism' fueling antisemitism on US campuses since Oct. 7 Hamas massacres

Prominent American filmmaker Steven Spielberg blasted the organized and systemic way that social media platforms have been spreading unprecedented waves of antisemitism across U.S. universities and elsewhere since the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.

“We see every day how the machinery of extremism is being used on college campuses,“ Spielberg stated during a speech at the University of Southern California (USC), where he was honored for his projects commemorating the Holocaust.

The acclaimed Jewish film producer cautioned that unless the alarming trend is reversed, the Jewish global community is at risk.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. And I am increasingly alarmed that we may be condemned to repeat history, to once again have to fight for the very right to be Jewish,” Spielberg warned.

“The creation of the other, and the dehumanization of any group based on their differences, is the foundation of fascism,” he added, noting his concerns regarding the growing hatred towards Muslim and Sikh minorities in American society.

The Hollywood celebrity underscored the resilience and compassion of the Jewish people amid difficult times.

“In the face of brutality and persecution, we have always been a resilient and compassionate people, who all understand the power of empathy,” Spielberg said.

“We can rage against the heinous acts committed by the terrorists of October 7, and also decry the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza. This makes us a unique force for good in the world, and is why we are here today,” he added.

Spielberg failed to mention that Israel's war in Gaza against Hamas terrorists was instigated by the terror organization on Oct. 7, when Hamas and its allies invaded Israel. He also didn't mention that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure and Gazan citizens as part of its military strategy, a war crime under international law.

The filmmaker received the University Medallion for his USC Shoah Foundation work, which includes collected testimonies from 56,000 Holocaust survivors.

While Spielberg has devoted much of his life to documenting the events surrounding the Holocaust, he warned about the prevalent threat of conspiracy theories and ignorance, which he said are being used as engines of extremism and hatred.

He further argued that the battle against Jew-hatred is "crucial because stopping the rise of antisemitism and hate of any kind is critical to the health of our democratic republic and the future of democracy all over the civilized world.”

In December, Spielberg launched a unique project dedicated to documenting the “unspeakable barbarity against Jews” on Oct. 7, when the terrorist organization Hamas invaded southern Israel and massacred at least 1,200 people in the largest slaughter of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust.

During an interview with the FOX news outlet at the time, he said, “I never imagined I would see such unspeakable barbarity against Jews in my lifetime,” although admitted that "antisemitism has always been there. It’s either been just around the corner and slightly out of sight, but always lurking..."