A federal judge in Manhattan ruled on Wednesday that Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art must face a lawsuit alleging that it failed to protect Jewish students who sought refuge in a library from pro-Palestinian Arab demonstrators, Reuters reported.
US District Judge John Cronan determined that the private college must answer claims that it violated federal and New York civil rights laws by exposing Jewish students to "severe and pervasive" antisemitic harassment that was not protected under the First Amendment.
Cronan also ruled that the 10 plaintiffs may pursue punitive damages and an injunction to address what they described as an antisemitic and anti-Israel environment on campus. However, he dismissed some other claims.
A spokesperson for Cooper Union expressed confidence that the evidence "will strongly refute the allegations being made in this case and it looks forward to the opportunity to present them before the court."
The incident at Cooper Union occurred in late October of 2023. Jewish students at the college were forced to lock themselves inside the library as a mob of anti-Israeli protesters blocked the doors.
About 40 minutes later, security escorted the students out of the building via a tunnel.
Jewish students involved in the lawsuit recounted that during the October 25, 2023, rally at Cooper Union, demonstrators forced their way past security and pounded on the doors and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows of the library. They also claimed the protesters shouted hateful slogans and carried antisemitic signs.
The students further alleged that administrators took no action during incident and even instructed law enforcement to stand down while the school's president exited the building through a back door.
The lawsuit argues that Cooper Union created a hostile educational environment in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits recipients of federal funds from engaging in discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin.
In its defense, Cooper Union maintained that the protesters were exercising their right to political speech under the First Amendment and contended there was no evidence that the school was deliberately indifferent to the students' concerns.
However, Cronan strongly criticized the college’s stance, particularly its assertion that the students could have sought refuge elsewhere or simply left the library. He also questioned whether locking the library doors was an adequate response.
The lawsuit against Cooper Union comes as numerous US colleges and universities face legal challenges over claims that they tolerated or encouraged antisemitism following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The judge's ruling was issued a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order urging colleges to report potential antisemitic actions by foreign students, aiming to help authorities "prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account" those responsible.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration launched new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five US universities, including Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley.