Tensions are mounting in New York City today with planned Anti-Israel protests set to target pivotal public transit hubs, such as Penn Station and Grand Center. This activity comes at a notably busy time during the holiday rush. We will continue to report any updates stemming from these events as they happen.
Across university campuses, there has been an apparent surge in legal challenges regarding anti-Semitism. Recently, the University of California, Berkeley found itself at the center of a legal dispute. A nonprofit accused the university of allegedly permitting harassment towards Jewish students on campus. The institution expressed its constraints, stating it legally can't put a halt to these anti-Israel protests.
This instance may be the tip of the iceberg. Due to an extension signed into federal civil rights law by former President Trump in 2019, it's possible for universities to be sued for anti-Semitism, leading to a rise in such lawsuits. Besides gender, race, and national origin, Trump expanded the law to cover anti-Semitism.
Currently, UC Berkeley is embroiled in a lawsuit with the Washington, D.C.-based Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The Center argues that unchecked anti-Semitism on the campus has gone too far, creating an environment hostile towards Jewish students. Accusations involve barring Jewish students from activities and groups, exposing them to verbal and physical attacks, and even compelling them to attend a 'Palestinian 101' club event.
One graduate student expressed her fear and discomfort on campus because of her Jewish identity. Her pleas to administrators fell on deaf heads, according to her. She claimed that she was advised to avoid specific areas of the campus to maintain her safety, which she found profoundly disconcerting.
The university responded to the lawsuit by underscoring their commitment to Jewish students, faculty, and staff. They firmly stated that claims made in the lawsuit breach the First Amendment and are incompatible with the actual state of affairs on campus.
Notably, other universities including the University of Pennsylvania, New York University, Wellesley, and Carnegie Mellon have also become targets of similar lawsuits. Furthermore, Columbia University, Cooper Union, and Cornell are being scrutinized in the wake of these developments. As anti-Semitism cases surge on campuses, an exhaustive review of concerned institutions appears imminent.
