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Westwood Today
By the People, for the People
UCLA Cancels Lecture by CBS News Chief Bari Weiss Amid Protests
UTA Vice Chair and UC Regent Jay Sures defends Weiss' decision, citing security concerns and anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses.
Published on Feb. 26, 2026
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Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, was scheduled to deliver the Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture at UCLA's Burkle Center next week, but the lecture was canceled due to security concerns amid planned protests from groups like Code Pink and opposition from some students and professors. Jay Sures, the vice chairman of talent agency UTA and a member of the University of California Board of Regents, defended Weiss' decision to cancel, citing his own experience with having his personal security violated for being outspoken about anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment on college campuses.
Why it matters
The cancellation of Weiss' lecture highlights the ongoing tensions around free speech and ideological divides on college campuses, particularly when it comes to issues related to Israel and anti-Semitism. As a prominent media figure with strong views on these topics, Weiss' planned appearance had drawn significant backlash, leading the university to cancel the event for security reasons.
The details
Weiss, who was set to speak on the future of journalism, has frequently become a polarizing figure herself due to her outspoken support for Israel and opposition to what she sees as rising anti-Semitism. The reaction to her planned lecture at UCLA was swift, with planned protests from groups like Code Pink and angry students and professors soliciting petitions in opposition to the event. Sources say the lecture was ultimately canceled for security reasons, though UCLA's student paper reports that Weiss is still considering a Zoom appearance.
- Bari Weiss was scheduled to deliver the Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture at UCLA's Burkle Center next week.
The players
Bari Weiss
The editor-in-chief of CBS News who was scheduled to deliver the Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture at UCLA.
Jay Sures
The vice chairman of talent agency UTA and a member of the University of California Board of Regents who defended Weiss' decision to cancel the lecture, citing security concerns and anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses.
Code Pink
A group that had planned protests against Weiss' planned lecture at UCLA.
What they’re saying
“As someone who has paid the price with having my personal security violated as a consequence of being outspoken about rampant anti Israel and anti semitic sentiment on college campuses, I fully understand why Bari would cancel. Why in the world would she put herself and her family in harms way? I understand why she would do this in the environment we live in today.”
— Jay Sures, Vice Chairman, UTA (The Hollywood Reporter)
What’s next
Weiss is still considering a Zoom appearance for the lecture, according to reports.
The takeaway
The cancellation of Bari Weiss' lecture at UCLA underscores the ongoing tensions around free speech and ideological divides on college campuses, particularly when it comes to issues related to Israel and anti-Semitism. As a prominent media figure with strong views on these topics, Weiss' planned appearance had drawn significant backlash, leading the university to cancel the event for security reasons.
