DOJ: George Washington University Ignored Antisemitism in Violation of Civil Rights Law

The US Department of Justice has concluded that George Washington University failed to address antisemitism on campus, violating federal civil rights protections.

In a letter to GWU president Ellen M. Granberg, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon stated that the university was notified of discrimination against Jewish, Israeli American, and Israeli students but “was deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered by its students and faculty.”

According to the Justice Department, GWU’s response to the harassment violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in institutions receiving federal funding, including universities.

The letter highlighted a spring 2024 incident in which students set up a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel encampment on campus. The investigation found that Jewish students were harassed, intimidated, and assaulted by protesters, leaving some too afraid to attend class.

One Jewish student reported being surrounded and threatened by demonstrators, only to be told by an assistant dean to leave because he was “antagonizing and provoking the crowd.” Other students said they were subjected to antisemitic slurs while walking on campus, forcing them to leave the area. In another case, protesters blocked a Jewish counter-protester carrying an Israeli flag, while a campus police officer advised him to leave for his own safety.

The letter also described protesters yelling phrases such as “Zionist go die,” and “Hamas are freedom fighters” at a Jewish student.

The Justice Department said it plans to enforce the civil rights law against GWU, though it did not detail what actions it might take. It offered to negotiate a “voluntary resolution” with the university, giving an August 22 deadline to begin discussions.