UC Davis releases investigation after professor threatened Jewish journalists

A UC Davis assistant professor was suspended without pay for one quarter after she threatened Jewish American journalists on social media, which hailed a firestorm of criticism, damaged the university’s reputation and sowed fear among students and staff, according to an internal investigation conducted by the university and a letter sent by its chancellor.

In October 2023, Jemma DeCristo tweeted on social media there’s easy access to Zionist journalists who spread propaganda and misinformation. Reporters have “addresses (and) kids in school,” the post said, while adding “they should fear us more.” The social media post was accompanied by emojis of a knife, an ax and red drops after the statement.

The social media post caused havoc for UC Davis’ administration, faculty and students, according to an internal investigation conducted by Oakland-based law firm London & Stout.

UC Davis expected to lose money after a donor withheld at least one six-figure gift until DeCristo was fired. Two faculty members cited the “impact” of DeCristo’s actions when resigning from their posts, according to a notice of discipline sent to DeCristo signed by UC Davis Chancellor Gary May and provided to the Sacramento Bee on Wednesday. One employee reported the social media post to the police, the letter said.

“In the course of our interviews, we were struck by the amount of pain people experienced in response to the October 10 post,” stated the June 2024 investigative report that was also given to The Bee on Wednesday.

The Chronicle of Higher Education was the first to report Jan. 2 on the internal investigation’s findings into DeCristo.

DeCristo, who is still employed by the university as an assistant professor in the American Studies Department, did not respond to a request for comment from The Bee. She told investigators during an interview that she gets more threats when the media writes about her social media post.

The investigators and May expressed concern that DeCristo had not addressed her actions. The investigators found DeCristo viewed herself as the “sole victim in this situation” and “failed to reckon with the suffering of others that the post caused,” May’s letter said.

DeCristo did read a prepared statement when interviewed twice by investigators in January 2024 and February 2024. She said she thought she had not done or said anything antisemitic, though she acknowledged that others may have a different perspective.

DeCristo said her post used “intentionally hyperbolic and satirical language” which was “intended to broadly mimic and parody the tone of multiple October 10 posts, articles and statements by senior Israeli officials and journalists which (she) had seen dehumanizing Palestinian children in particular,” the investigative report said.

She added that she did not understand how people would believe the post meant to threaten violence when it was “overt satire,” the investigative report said.

This story was originally published January 7, 2026 at 3:28 PM.