Who is Noëlle McAfee? Cops arrest Emory University’s philosophy chair as she denies involvement in Gaza protest

A video on social media shows Noëlle McAfee, the chair of Atlanta's Emory University’s philosophy department, being taken away in handcuffs. The footage shows McAfee telling a stranger – who was recording the video – that she was only observing the anti-Israel protest on the campus, not participating in it.

McAfee was seen being dragged away by a masked police officer as the person recording the video kept telling her he was sorry about it. Jail records did not show the teacher being either arrested or charged.

Who is Noëlle McAfee?

According to Emory’s website, “McAfee is a critical theorist working in the tradition of the Frankfurt School, drawing on feminist philosophy, psychoanalysis, and political theory.” She earned a PhD in philosophy from the University of Texas and holds an MA in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also holds an MA in public policy from Duke University. She previously taught at UMass Lowell, Brandeis University, and George Mason University.

McAfee also “holds a secondary appointment as Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is also a faculty member of the Emory University Psychoanalytic Institute; the director of Emory's Psychoanalytic Studies Program; affiliated faculty in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; and chair of the Faculty of Psychoanalysis at Emory University,” according to the website.

Protest at Emory University

Earlier on Thursday, April 25, the lawn of the university's Decatur campus was occupied by several protesters with tents and signs. According to Mondoweiss.net, the protest was in support of Palestine’s people and against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. A group of students from across several Atlanta universities participated in the demonstrations.

Videos shared on X showed Georgia police officers firing rubber bullets into a crowd at the university. Mass arrests were made, and a video even showed cops using a stun gun on a restrained demonstrator.

Protesters in Atlanta described the police response at Emory as overkill. Caleb Bunch, a junior at the university, said he saw a Georgia State Patrol officer trying to disperse a group of protesters by riding into them, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“It’s a little alarming,” he said. “I don’t really understand why it’s necessary to have GSP be here, especially riding in on motorcycle.”

As many as 23 people in total were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, obstruction of law enforcement officers, or other charges, according to the Journal-Constitution.

However, cops defended their actions by saying “there wasn’t anything peaceful about what was going on.” Emory supported cops, accusing protesters of pushing campus cops and setting up tents in an area actually needed for commencement set-up.