UPenn fires lecturer over shocking Antisemitic cartoons following Trump administration pressure

The dismissal comes after increasing public pressure and threats from the Trump administration to cut federal funding to the prestigious Ivy League institution.

Booth, a political cartoonist known by his pen name “Mr. Fish,” had been employed at UPenn’s Annenberg School for Communication. He made the announcement of his termination on social media, stating that the university cited "budgetary reasons" but claiming that the real motivation behind his firing was political pressure from the right. In his post, Booth argued that universities across the country are increasingly silencing voices that criticize right-wing nationalism and Israel’s actions toward Palestine.

The cartoons in question, which were published on Booth's personal website, featured provocative and inflammatory imagery. One cartoon depicted "Zionists" drinking "Gazan blood," while others featured Jews in Nazi concentration camps holding signs like "Stop the Holocaust in Gaza" and "Gaza: The World’s Largest Concentration Camp." Another cartoon portrayed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the devil, standing over a pile of skulls in Gaza. These cartoons accompanied columns by former New York Times journalist Chris Hedges, who has drawn comparisons between Israel and Nazi Germany, accusing Israel of committing genocide.

Booth has defended his artwork, stating that the cartoons were intended to be understood in the context of Hedges' text, which often critiques Israeli policies. He argued that equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism distorts important debates about the Gaza conflict.

Initially, UPenn President Dr. Larry Jameson condemned the cartoons as "shocking" and antisemitic but declined to take disciplinary action against Booth in February 2024. However, the university eventually reversed its stance after facing mounting external pressure.

The controversy also drew the attention of the Trump administration, which threatened to withhold federal funding from universities, including UPenn, unless they took action to address antisemitism on campus. As a result, UPenn has been forced to reconsider its stance, with the university now facing intense scrutiny over its handling of the situation.

Booth’s firing has sparked further debate about academic freedom and the influence of political pressure on universities. The American Association of University Professors has announced that it is reviewing the case, and UPenn’s faculty union has voiced support for Booth, accusing right-wing media of fueling the backlash against him. Booth, for his part, criticized the decision, likening the budgetary explanation to the false justification for the crucifixion of Jesus, though he clarified it as a joke. The situation continues to evolve as the debate over academic freedom and antisemitism remains a focal point in the ongoing conversation about political expression on university campuses.